President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied he is considering a replacement for U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, but predicted Hegseth would be “very popular” if U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) selected him to finish her term in the Senate after she becomes Tennessee’s 51st governor in January.
Amid reports claiming that Trump may hold Hegseth responsible for the lack of a satisfying conclusion to the conflict in Iran, which Vice President JD Vance said caused the Democratic Party victories in the 2026 midterms on Tuesday, the president on Wednesday told reporters that he thinks Hegseth is “doing a great job.”
When asked whether Trump wanted Blackburn to name Hegseth as her successor in the Senate, the president said he wasn’t familiar with the idea, but didn’t dismiss it.
“I think he’s doing a very good job, and I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that,” Trump said. He added, “I haven’t heard that at all.”
Asked whether he is considering removing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, President Trump said he is not.
"I think he's done a very good job," the president told CBS News' @Weijia Jiang.
CBS News reported earlier Wednesday that Trump has been asking his advisers whether Hegseth… pic.twitter.com/bK6uDZb9Sg
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 4, 2026
Trump’s comments come after Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Cortes denied that Hegseth was involved in an effort to persuade Blackburn to select him, calling it “beltway gossip by anonymous sources.”
After the Pentagon denied Hegseth’s interest in the Senate seat, The Hill claimed that four anonymous sources said the secretary of war was pursuing the position, with the outlet reporting Hegseth is “campaigning behind the scenes” in “an open secret.”
U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY-04) is expected to force a vote next week on whether to impeach Hegseth. In his impeachment resolution, Massie claimed Hegseth is behind unlawful or unauthorized strikes in Iran and against suspected drug cartels, and that the military operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro was illegal.
Some Democrats already signaled they would back Massie’s effort last month, and after Democrats’ midterm victory, U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) confirmed, “We’re going after Hegseth.”
Both U.S. Representatives Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) and Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03) have previously been floated as possible candidates to succeed Blackburn, as well as former Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. Other possible contenders include former CoreCivic CEO Damon Hiniger and Blackburn’s transition chairman, Stuart McWhorter.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Marsha Blackburn and Pete Hegseth” by Marsha Blackburn.
