White House denies Hegseth and Rubio to leave jobs after Republican election losses
The White House has dismissed reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are planning to resign following Republican election losses. While Rubio remains secure, Hegseth faces political pressure regarding his handling of the ongoing Iran war.
Why it matters
The stability of the Trump administration's cabinet is a critical factor in US foreign policy and domestic political stability.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images By Sareen Habeshian Published 6 November 2026, 01:31 GMT Updated 27 minutes ago The White House has denied rumours that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio might leave their jobs in a post-election shakeup of the Trump administration.
US media have reported there are calls to replace Hegseth - in particular over his handling of the Iran war, which is being blamed for heavy Republican election losses.
One outgoing congressional Republican has threatened to force an impeachment vote against Hegseth as early as next week. The defense secretary posted a video statement defending his record and denouncing the effort.
"You see, they attack me. They attack us because we are effective," he said. "It's not going to work. We will not back down."
Meanwhile, Rubio is denying reports he is considering leaving his post ahead of a 2028 presidential run.
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