White House denies shake-up rumours as Hegseth faces backlash after Republican losses

The White House has denied reports that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio may leave their posts after Republican election losses. The denials came as speculation grew over whether the Trump administration could face a wider post-election shake-up. The row has centred on Hegseth in particular, amid criticism over his handling of the Iran war.

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US media reports said there were calls to replace Hegseth, with some Republicans blaming the conflict for heavy losses at the ballot box. One outgoing congressional Republican has threatened to force an impeachment vote against him as early as next week. Hegseth responded with a video statement defending his record and rejecting the pressure, saying critics were attacking him because he was effective.

He added that the effort would not work and that he would not back down. Rubio has also been drawn into the speculation, but he has denied any plan to leave his role ahead of a possible 2028 presidential run. He said working for Donald Trump until the end of the term had always been his plan and said he loved the work he was doing.

The White House and the State Department both dismissed reports that he might depart after the midterm losses, describing them as false. The dispute matters because it comes after Republicans lost control of both chambers of the US Congress, a result that has intensified blame inside the administration. Trump and Vice-President JD Vance have both pointed to the Iran war as a factor in the losses.

That has left Hegseth politically exposed, even as Trump publicly said he had every intention of keeping him in post. Trump told reporters that Hegseth had done a fantastic job and listed what he described as achievements, including the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January and the Iran war, now in its ninth month. In a telephone interview, he also said he had received calls about Hegseth, but repeated that he intended to keep him.

The comments suggest the president is trying to contain the fallout while also signalling support for his cabinet team. What remains unclear is whether the pressure on Hegseth will translate into any formal move in Congress or within the administration. It is also not clear whether the speculation around Rubio will fade or continue to feed wider questions about personnel changes after the election losses.

For now, the White House is publicly rejecting the shake-up reports, while the political debate around the Iran war and Republican defeat continues.

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