Hegseth vows to keep fighting from Pentagon, defends Iran war

Washington — On Thursday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a video message on social media, vowing to continue his fight against impeachment efforts in Congress and defending the Iran war as "courageous and historic" following the voters' backlash against Republicans in the recent midterm elections. Hegseth's statements came amid mounting taunts from his congressional adversaries and President Donald Trump's dismissal of questions about potentially removing Hegseth from his position.

Trump has expressed support for the Pentagon chief. The top Democrat in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, questioned Hegseth's continued presence by asking, "Why is Pete Hegseth still around?" Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has garnered a reputation as a polarizing figure, earning adversaries even within his own Republican Party.

Critics in Congress have targeted his management of the Iran war, with Vice President JD Vance attributing Republican losses in Congress to the conflict, his dismissal of top military officers, and strained relations with lawmakers as they pursue a $1.5 trillion defense spending package. Democrats, who gained control of Congress in Tuesday's elections, have pledged to investigate and hold him accountable.