Trump ally declines to back Hegseth when asked whether he should be replaced

Trump ally declines to back Hegseth when asked whether he should be replaced One of President Donald Trump’s fiercest defenders in Congress criticized Pete Hegseth on Friday, marking the latest Republican lawmaker to distance themselves from the polarizing defense secretary after the GOP’s massive losses in the midterm elections. In an interview with News Nation, Rep. James Comer (Kentucky), chair of the House Oversight Committee, declined to say whether he wanted Trump to replace Hegseth, saying the decision was up to the president. But Comer emphasized that lawmakers have “a lot of questions about Hegseth” and want to know how the administration will end the Iran war, now in its ninth month. “We have no idea what the strategy is moving forward in Iran,” Comer said. Hegseth faces a likely impeachment vote over the war next week when lawmakers return to Washington. It remains to be seen whether the effort, led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky), will succeed, though it’s unlikely to result in a conviction if it advances to the Senate. Senior GOP officials — led by Vice President JD Vance — have publicly faulted the Iran war and its resulting spike in energy prices for the Republicans’ electoral wipeout this week, as Democrats regained control of the House and the Senate. Speaking with reporters this week, Trump reiterated his support for Hegseth, who has vowed to remain at the Pentagon. In a combative video posted on social media on Thursday, and reposted by his press team, the defense secretary said he was “not going to back down” despite the threats of an impeachment and investigations from the Democratic Congress next year.