US defense chief strikes defensive tone against calls for impeachment

Following the Republicans' fiasco in the midterm elections, US President Donald Trump still offers support for defence chief Pete Hegseth who is under fire from within the party, and claims recent months have seen a cessation of fatalities in the Iran war.

Media reports suggest a brewing cabinet reshuffle with about five senior officials planning to resign.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing criticism from Democrats and pushback from within the Republican Party, as he emerges as a potential scapegoat for the administration's military policies in the Middle East and the prolonged war with Iran.

Vice President JD Vance claimed on the morning after the election that the main reason for the Republicans' dramatic losses was the American public's opposition to the war.

President Donald Trump, however, came to Hegseth's defence, and made clear he had "every intention" of keeping him in office.

He told reporters Wednesday that he thinks Hegseth is "doing a very good job," and repeated his support the next day before continuing to list off accomplishments including the Iran war and the seizure of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The president reiterated his position that Tehran must make commitments on its nuclear programme under terms acceptable to him, otherwise the US military would return to a full-scale bombardment of Iran.

Trump also reportedly acknowledged it would be easier to confirm whoever he would pick to replace Hegseth under a GOP-controlled Senate, before the new Democratic majority are sworn in in January, 2027.

Hegseth, for his part, has vowed to fight back in a social media post after some lawmakers said they were pushing impeachment proceedings against him.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, a Trump critic, has introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September.

Massie said at the time that Hegseth should be held accountable "by engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorisation" and breaking the law.

Hegseth argued "the politics of personal destruction" won't work with him.

"A disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies, has also dropped sham articles of impeachment against yours truly, just like they tried against President Trump twice."

"You see, their policies don't work, so their obsession with political theatre disguised as power drives them to try to destroy their opponents. It's all about the politics of personal destruction. Didn't work against President Trump? And it won't work with me," he said.

Sources say that five members of Trump's cabinet might be leaving the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will reportedly resign to run in the 2028 presidential election.

Dismissing those reports, Rubio told The New York Times on Thursday that he intended to serve through Trump's second term, but hinted he would be the number one supporter of Vance if he decided to run for president.