US President Donald Trump has said that he intends to keep Pete Hegseth as defence secretary, despite receiving calls from people expressing dissatisfaction with his leadership.
“I have every intention to keep him,” Trump told ABC News on Thursday.
Trump acknowledged that some people had contacted him to raise concerns about Hegseth, but questioned the criticism.
“I get these calls, you know, about him. I don't understand why,” he said.
Trump also acknowledged that confirming a new defence secretary would be easier before Democrats take over the Senate in January, as they will have the majority needed to vote any nominee down.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump dismissed reports that he was considering replacing Hegseth, telling reporters that the defence secretary was “doing a very good job.”
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell was quoted as saying that Hegseth “will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points.”
“Secretary Hegseth is 100 percent committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump’s term in office,” Parnell added.
Vice President JD Vance said earlier on Wednesday that the reason Republicans lost the midterm elections is the Iran war.
Democrats have long criticised both the war itself and Hegseth's handling of it.
