Politics1 min read

White House denies Hegseth and Rubio to leave jobs after Republican election losses

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Donald Trump and JD Vance linked the midterm defeats directly to the conflict in Iran, prompting rumors about cabinet departures that the White House firmly rejected. Marco Rubio dismissed exit rumors as fake news and committed to serving out Trump's term, while Trump praised Pete Hegseth, specifically citing the January arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Hegseth now faces an impeachment resolution introduced by outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie ahead of the Democratic takeover. Meanwhile, separate reports suggest the administration may weigh replacing military commanders such as General Dan Caine or Admiral Brad Cooper over the war's direction.

Key points

  • The White House firmly rejected reports suggesting Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio would ste…: The White House firmly rejected reports suggesting Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio would step down following midterm election losses.
  • Pete Hegseth condemned the upcoming impeachment effort as political theater and affirmed…: Pete Hegseth condemned the upcoming impeachment effort as political theater and affirmed he will not resign from his role.
  • Administration discussions regarding wartime accountability may extend to top military co…: Administration discussions regarding wartime accountability may extend to top military commanders, including General Dan Caine and Admiral Brad Cooper.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Published

The White House has denied rumours that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio might leave their jobs in a post-election shakeup of the Trump administration.

US media have reported there are calls to replace Hegseth - in particular over his handling of the Iran war, which is being blamed for heavy Republican election losses.

One outgoing congressional Republican has threatened to force an impeachment vote against Hegseth as early as next week. The defense secretary posted a video statement defending his record and denouncing the effort.

"You see, they attack me. They attack us because we are effective," he said. "It's not going to work. We will not back down."

Meanwhile, Rubio is denying reports he is considering leaving his post ahead of a 2028 presidential run.

Working for Trump until the end of his term has "always been my plan," Rubio told The New York Times in an interview.

"I love the work I'm doing," Rubio said. "And plus I always laugh when they say he's going to leave his job. I go,…

Politics