Trump Weighs Firing Hegseth as Midterm Blame Game Erupts

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's job is suddenly on the line. President Trump has been asking advisers whether he should fire Hegseth in the wake of the Republicans' midterm defeat, according to CBS News. No decision has been announced, and the questions alone signal the fallout is landing high up the Pentagon chain of command.

The search for a scapegoat is already underway inside the White House. Some aides have floated pinning the loss on Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, and General Dan Caine, according to reports. That would push the blame away from the Oval Office and onto the military brass.

Vice President JD Vance offered a blunter explanation for why voters turned on the party. He blamed the Iran War for the election loss. His version points the finger at foreign policy rather than any single official's performance.

Hegseth's fate now hangs on whether Trump decides the midterm wreckage requires a scalp at the top of the Defense Department. The names circulating as fall guys suggest the administration is still sorting out who wears it.

Nothing is final. Trump's private consultations don't mean a firing is coming, but they do show a president hunting for answers after a rough night at the ballot box.