The White House has pushed back against Hegseth and Rubio exit rumors following this week’s Republican midterm losses, insisting that neither Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth nor Secretary of State Marco Rubio is preparing to leave the administration.
Reports in US media had suggested a possible post-election reshuffle, with particular pressure on Hegseth over his conduct of the Iran war, which has been widely blamed for the scale of the Republican defeat. Both the White House and the State Department dismissed suggestions that Rubio might depart as “fake news.”
Rubio rules out departure as 2028 speculation swirls
Rubio addressed the speculation directly, telling The New York Times that remaining in his role for the duration of Trump’s term had always been his intention. He said he valued the work and joked about the recurring speculation, asking which job observers thought he would abandon.
The State Department joined the White House in rejecting the reports, calling them false. The rumors had circulated amid talk that Rubio could be positioning himself for a 2028 presidential bid.
Hegseth faces a more precarious path
Unlike Rubio, Hegseth’s political footing appears less secure. President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance have both pointed to the Iran war as the reason Republicans lost control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate to the Democrats.
In a telephone interview with ABC News, Trump acknowledged he had received calls about Hegseth but said he had every intention of keeping him. Speaking to reporters at the White House later on Thursday, Trump praised Hegseth’s performance and cited achievements including the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January and the ongoing Iran war, now in its ninth month.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump might instead be weighing changes at the top of the military, including the possible removal of General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or Centcom chief Admiral Brad Cooper. Both were closely involved in advising on the war, which began eight months ago.
Impeachment threat from within Republican ranks
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, a frequent Trump critic, said he will move forward with an effort to impeach Hegseth. He told Politico he would trigger his resolution early next week. Writing on X, Massie urged the president to replace Hegseth before a new Democratic-controlled Congress is seated in January, arguing that replacements should be confirmed while the Senate remains under Republican control.
Hegseth responded with a video statement defending his record and rejecting what he described as a politically motivated impeachment push. He characterized the effort as coming from a disgruntled, defeated congressman and his Democratic allies, and said it would not succeed. “We will not back down,” he said, arguing that the attacks stem from his effectiveness.
In the same statement, Hegseth listed what he considers the department’s achievements under his leadership, including improvements in military recruitment, rebuilding the defense industrial base, and eliminating diversity initiatives. He accused Democrats of pursuing political theater and personal destruction rather than workable policies.
Hegseth has also been rumored to be interested in running for an open Tennessee Senate seat, adding another layer of uncertainty to his future in the administration.
