US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday posted a video message of more than four minutes on social media, pledging to keep fighting attempts to remove him in Congress, the An-Nahar newspaper reported.
In the message, Hegseth said: "As you can see, they are attacking me, they are attacking us. Because we are taking effective steps. But their attempts will not work, and we will not back down." He boasted of firing senior department officials, ending diversity initiatives and barring transgender people from joining the military. He described the efforts to remove him as a farce and noted that Trump himself had faced two attempts to remove him from office.
Hegseth defended the war on Iran, calling it a brave and historic effort, and said it would ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. He also urged lawmakers to approve a funding request to help the Pentagon cover the costs of the war and other spending priorities.
The message came after the midterm elections held on Tuesday, in which Democrats won control of Congress, according to the newspaper. The newspaper's account says voters punished Republicans over the war on Iran. Vice President JD Vance had publicly questioned the value of the war on Wednesday, saying it cost Republicans control of Congress, according to the report. This raised questions about whether Trump intends to resume major combat operations against Iran, as he has threatened.
President Donald Trump on Thursday ignored questions about whether he would fire Hegseth. In the Oval Office, he praised Hegseth and said he was doing a great job, according to the newspaper. Trump also praised his role in military operations in Venezuela and Iran. Trump said: "What happened in Venezuela was amazing... and in Iran, we have been there for seven months and we control everything we wanted to control."
Meanwhile, unnamed sources said the possibility that Trump would appoint a replacement for Hegseth still exists. One of Trump's advisers, who was not named, said Hegseth "may be about to lose his job" because of the war.
Democrats have vowed to investigate Hegseth and his management of the Pentagon, according to the newspaper. Aides to members of Congress say this will include an inquiry into the dismissal of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries asked in a post: "Why is Pete Hegseth still in his job?"
Republican Representative Thomas Massie said he would reintroduce impeachment articles against Hegseth next week with the aim of removing him from office. He added that the proceedings would be less severe than what Hegseth would face when Republicans hand control of Congress to Democrats next year. Massie said: "There will be hearings and trials."
Hegseth's opponents in Congress criticize his handling of the war on Iran, his dismissal of several senior military officials and his strained relations with lawmakers, according to the newspaper. At the same time, the administration is seeking to pass a $1.5 trillion defense spending package. Republican Senator Thom Tillis told CBS News on Tuesday night that Hegseth's day of reckoning is coming and that his strained relationship with lawmakers is undermining efforts to pass the package.
Hegseth may also face scrutiny over his policy on Ukraine and US strikes on boats suspected of smuggling drugs near Latin America. Some Democrats say those strikes could amount to war crimes. The newspaper describes Hegseth, a former Fox News host, as a divisive figure who has rivalries even within his own Republican Party.