Trump asks advisers whether Hegseth should go after GOP midterm losses, sources say

President Trump has been asking advisers, in person and by phone, whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should keep his job. Multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News this after Republicans' heavy losses on Tuesday night ¹.

The reporting also says Trump has not made a decision. Other sources told CBS the president has not decided to replace Hegseth ¹.

White House says Trump backs Hegseth

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly was asked about reports on Hegseth's future. In a statement, she said Trump "has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth" ¹.

Kelly also praised U.S. military operations in Iran and Venezuela. She credited Hegseth with reversing what she called the Biden Pentagon's prioritizing of "DEI and woke ideology" ¹.

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Who gets the blame for the Iran war

Some White House aides have predicted that part of the blame for the midterm losses will fall on two other military leaders. They are Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Both played big roles in guidance on the Iran war, CBS reports ¹.

Vice President JD Vance has pointed to the war itself. "The reason we lost is the war," he wrote in a long post on X on Wednesday morning ¹².

Vance also wrote that "everyone knows why we lost" and that any honest talk about next steps "must start there" ². NBC News reports the U.S. strikes on Iran, carried out with Israel, began in late February ².

Trump has given a mixed account. In a Wall Street Journal interview he said "Iran was a piece of it." He also said, "I did the right thing. I would have done it again" ².

A possible replacement and an impeachment fight

One source told CBS that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is being floated as a replacement. The idea is that the Senate could confirm him during the lame-duck period, the weeks between the election and the new Congress. He would then take the post when his term as governor ends Jan. 5 ¹.

That is one source's account of an idea being floated, not a decision ¹.

Democrats were already trying to impeach Hegseth before the election. CBS reports that effort could gain momentum now that Democrats hold strong majorities in both chambers ¹.

Why it matters

The pattern is familiar. When a war becomes a political liability, attention turns to the people who run it. Whether Trump moves against Hegseth, Cooper or Caine, or none of them, will show who he thinks is responsible for a war his own vice president now says cost the party the election.

The Pentagon runs the war. Readers should treat the firing talk as unconfirmed. The only on-record response so far is the White House's statement of full confidence ¹.

What to watch next: any formal move by Trump, any Senate confirmation steps during the lame-duck period, and whether Democrats file impeachment articles against Hegseth ¹.

The Record

1. Nov 3, 2026Republicans suffered heavy losses in the midterm elections, which CBS News called catastrophic ¹.
2. Nov 4, 2026CBS News reported that Trump has been asking advisers whether Hegseth should stay as defense secretary ¹.
3. Nov 4, 2026Vice President Vance wrote on X that the Iran war was the reason Republicans lost ¹².

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<h2>Trump asks advisers whether Hegseth should go after GOP midterm losses, sources say</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Investigations Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/trump-asks-advisers-whether-hegseth-should-go-after-gop-midterm-losses-sources-say">The GOP Files</a> on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.</em></p> <p>President Trump has been asking advisers, in person and by phone, whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should keep his job. Multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News this after Republicans&#39; heavy losses on Tuesday night .</p> <p>The reporting also says Trump has not made a decision. Other sources told CBS the president has not decided to replace Hegseth .</p> <h2>White House says Trump backs Hegseth</h2> <p>White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly was asked about reports on Hegseth&#39;s future. In a statement, she said Trump &quot;has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth&quot; .</p> <p>Kelly also praised U.S. military operations in Iran and Venezuela. She credited Hegseth with reversing what she called the Biden Pentagon&#39;s prioritizing of &quot;DEI and woke ideology&quot; .</p> <h2>Who gets the blame for the Iran war</h2> <p>Some White House aides have predicted that part of the blame for the midterm losses will fall on two other military leaders. They are Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Both played big roles in guidance on the Iran war, CBS reports .</p> <p>Vice President JD Vance has pointed to the war itself. &quot;The reason we lost is the war,&quot; he wrote in a long post on X on Wednesday morning .</p> <p>Vance also wrote that &quot;everyone knows why we lost&quot; and that any honest talk about next steps &quot;must start there&quot; . NBC News reports the U.S. strikes on Iran, carried out with Israel, began in late February .</p> <p>Trump has given a mixed account. In a Wall Street Journal interview he said &quot;Iran was a piece of it.&quot; He also said, &quot;I did the right thing. I would have done it again&quot; .</p> <h2>A possible replacement and an impeachment fight</h2> <p>One source told CBS that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is being floated as a replacement. The idea is that the Senate could confirm him during the lame-duck period, the weeks between the election and the new Congress. He would then take the post when his term as governor ends Jan. 5 .</p> <p>That is one source&#39;s account of an idea being floated, not a decision .</p> <p>Democrats were already trying to impeach Hegseth before the election. CBS reports that effort could gain momentum now that Democrats hold strong majorities in both chambers .</p> <h2>Why it matters</h2> <p>The pattern is familiar. When a war becomes a political liability, attention turns to the people who run it. Whether Trump moves against Hegseth, Cooper or Caine, or none of them, will show who he thinks is responsible for a war his own vice president now says cost the party the election.</p> <p>The Pentagon runs the war. Readers should treat the firing talk as unconfirmed. The only on-record response so far is the White House&#39;s statement of full confidence .</p> <p>What to watch next: any formal move by Trump, any Senate confirmation steps during the lame-duck period, and whether Democrats file impeachment articles against Hegseth .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/trump-asks-advisers-whether-hegseth-should-go-after-gop-midterm-losses-sources-say">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/trump-asks-advisers-whether-hegseth-should-go-after-gop-midterm-losses-sources-say.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. CBS News, “Trump asking advisers if Hegseth should go, sources say” (2026-11-04). cbsnews.com/news/trump-hegseth-midterm-election-losses/
2. NBC News, “Vance says the 'real reason' for GOP rout was anger over Iran war” (2026-11-04). nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/vance-says-ranger-iran-wa

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