Trump Rejects Possibility of Replacing Hegseth as Pentagon Chief

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has no plans to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from his position, expressing satisfaction with his performance despite growing Republican criticism following the party's poor results in the midterm elections.

“No, I think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said when questioned about the possibility of appointing a new Pentagon chief after Democrats secured control of the House of Representatives, the Senate and several governorships in Tuesday's elections.

Hegseth, a former Army National Guard major, has reportedly shown interest in competing for the vacant Tennessee Senate seat currently associated with Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, with reports indicating that he has been privately exploring the opportunity.

Responding to questions about whether he would support such a move, Trump said Hegseth could attract considerable public support if he pursued the Senate position.

“I think he’s doing a very good job, and I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that. But I haven’t heard that at all,” Trump said.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Trump has privately discussed Hegseth's future with members of his advisory team, seeking their opinions on whether he should remain in charge of the Defense Department.

Although the president has raised the matter during conversations with aides, no final decision has reportedly been reached regarding the defense secretary's position.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has also been mentioned as a potential replacement, with one source suggesting that he could receive Senate approval during the lame-duck period before assuming the Pentagon position after completing his gubernatorial term on Jan. 5.

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