White House denies Hegseth, Rubio resignation rumours

The White House has dismissed speculation that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio may leave their posts following a major Republican defeat in the midterm elections.

US media reports said calls had grown for Hegseth’s removal, particularly over his handling of the war with Iran, which has been blamed as one of the key factors behind the Republicans’ electoral setback.

A Republican lawmaker whose term in Congress is nearing its end has threatened to hold a vote next week to initiate impeachment proceedings against Hegseth.

In response, the defence secretary defended his performance in a video message, criticising efforts to remove him.

“You see them attacking me. They’re attacking us because we’re effective. It’s not going to work. We’re not backing down,” Hegseth said.

Meanwhile, Rubio has rejected reports that he is considering stepping down as secretary of state to prepare for a possible presidential bid in 2028.

In an interview with The New York Times, Rubio said it had “always been my plan” to serve alongside President Donald Trump until the end of his term.

“I love what I’m doing. And when they say I’m going to leave, I always laugh. I say, leave what?” he said.

The White House and the State Department have also dismissed reports of Rubio’s possible departure, describing them as “fake news”.

However, uncertainty over Hegseth’s political future appears greater.

Both Trump and Vice-President JD Vance have blamed the Iran war for the Republicans’ electoral defeat, which handed Democrats control of both chambers of Congress — the House of Representatives and the Senate.

In a telephone interview with ABC News, Trump said he had received some calls regarding Hegseth’s removal but had “every intention” of keeping him in the job.

Later on Thursday, Trump praised Hegseth’s performance while speaking to reporters at the White House, citing several achievements, including the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January and the ongoing war with Iran, which has entered its ninth month.