House of Trump falling? Vance, Hegseth at center of rupture talks as Iran war backlash rages

The Republican Party's crushing defeat in the US midterm elections is turning into more than a political setback for President Donald Trump. As Democrats prepare to take control of Congress, questions are mounting over the future of some of Trump's closest aides, with Vice-President JD Vance openly blaming the Iran war for the electoral losses, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly weighing his future in the administration and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth facing renewed calls for his removal and impeachment.

What initially appeared to be a difficult election night for Republicans is now exposing deeper tensions within Trump's administration. While the President has publicly defended his military campaign against Iran and backed his senior officials, the political fallout has put members of his own team under growing scrutiny.

Also Read: Marco Rubio weighs leaving administration after GOP’s midterm loss


The immediate focus is on Hegseth, whose handling of the Iran war has become a flashpoint for both Democrats and Republicans. But the uncertainty surrounding Rubio and Vance's increasingly independent political positioning suggests that the consequences of the midterm defeat could extend well beyond the Pentagon.

Vance breaks ranks over Iran war

One of the most interesting developments following the Republican defeat has been Vance's public criticism of the Iran war.

While Trump acknowledged that the conflict contributed to the party's poor electoral performance, Vance went further, directly identifying the war as the principal reason Republicans lost control of Congress.

"The real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone... The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night," Vance wrote on X.

The remarks have attracted attention because Vance had previously supported Trump's military campaign. His decision to publicly attribute the electoral setback to the war has raised questions about whether the Vice-President is beginning to distinguish his political position from that of the President.

Vance and Rubio have both been mentioned as potential contenders to lead the Republican Party after Trump, particularly as the 2028 presidential election approaches.

Vance's challenge will be to establish an identity of his own without alienating the voters who remain loyal to Trump.

Also Read: Is Pete Hegseth getting fired? Impeachment threat grows as Republicans question his Iran war strategy

Rubio weighs his next move

Adding to the uncertainty within Trump's administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly considering whether to leave his current positions.

Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Rubio and his advisers have been discussing possible next steps following the Republican midterm defeat. The discussions include whether he should step down as the country's top diplomat and national security adviser.

Rubio has reportedly spoken with White House officials about the possibility of leaving, although he has not made a final decision and there is no timeline for a potential departure. Some officials have reportedly asked him to stay, the report said.

However, Rubio dismissed the reports in an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, saying he did not know where the information was coming from.

Working for Trump through the end of his term has “always been my plan,” Rubio told the newspaper.

The White House also rejected suggestions that the Secretary of State was preparing to resign.

“This fake news is nothing more than a fabricated hoax being peddled by anonymous sources with no factual information,” White House spokesperson Beni Rae Harmony said. “Secretary Rubio is a fearless fighter for President Trump and the MAGA movement.”

However, the discussions come at a politically significant moment. A former Florida senator, Rubio went from being one of Trump's rivals during the 2016 Republican presidential primaries to becoming one of his most trusted administration officials.

Also Read: Did Vance just fire first salvo at Trump? The Republican inheritance war may have begun

His future could also be shaped by the possibility of a 2028 Republican succession contest. Several people close to Rubio have suggested that he may prefer to avoid a messy internal battle to succeed Trump, particularly if Vance decides to run.

There is also the question of how much distance Rubio would gain from the increasingly unpopular Iran war by leaving the administration. Although he has repeatedly defended the decision to launch the military campaign, he has also sought to keep some distance from the conflict.

Rubio could eventually return to the private sector and consider his political options after the 2028 election cycle, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the discussions.

Hegseth faces mounting pressure

If Rubio's future remains uncertain, Hegseth's position has become an increasingly public political battle.

The Defence Secretary is facing pressure from Democrats and members of his own party over the administration's military campaign against Iran, the dismissal of senior military officials and strained relations with lawmakers.

Democrats, who are set to take control of Congress, have promised investigations into the Pentagon's functioning and Hegseth's leadership. Their scrutiny is expected to cover the Iran war, the removal of senior military officers, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other military operations.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has openly questioned why Hegseth continues to hold office.

"Why is Pete Hegseth still around?" Jeffries wrote on X.

Representative Jason Crow, a Democrat from Colorado and member of the House Armed Services Committee, also criticised the Defence Secretary's leadership.

"He's incompetent...Every day that he's in the Pentagon, Major, is a day that our service members, our men and women, our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters are at greater risk," Crow told CBS News.

The pressure is not limited to Democrats. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has threatened to revive his impeachment effort against Hegseth when lawmakers return to Washington.

"There is one contingency in which I won't reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns," Massie wrote on X on November 4.

Massie had previously introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth, alleging that he overstepped his constitutional authority during military operations involving Iran, Venezuela and other regions, and bypassed congressional oversight. These remain allegations made by the Congressman and have not been established as formal findings of misconduct.

According to CNN, Massie intends to seek a House vote on his impeachment resolution when Congress reconvenes. Republican insiders cited by the network expect the measure to pass the chamber.

Hegseth, however, has made clear that he intends to fight the effort.

In a video message posted on social media on Thursday, he defended his record at the Pentagon, including the removal of senior military officials, the end of diversity initiatives and the ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.

"You see, they attack me - they attack us - because we are effective. It's not going to work. We will not back down," Hegseth said.

Calling the impeachment effort a "sham," he also invoked Trump's own impeachment battles.

"It's all about the politics of personal destruction. It didn't work against President Trump, and it won't work with me. You can rest assured of that," he said.

Trump backs Hegseth, but replacement talk persists

Despite the mounting pressure, Trump has publicly stood behind his Defence Secretary.

When asked about possible changes within his administration, the President praised Hegseth's performance and attributed some of the criticism to his decision to remove senior military officers.

"We had so many generals. Everybody was a four-star general. I never saw anything like it. And many of those people were woke. I don't like a woke general. And so, he probably has opposition," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump also praised Hegseth's role in US military operations in Venezuela and Iran.

"Venezuela has been unbelievable ... and in Iran, we are there for seven months and we control everything that we've wanted to control," he said.

In an interview with ABC News, Trump also said he had no intention of removing Hegseth from his Cabinet.

"I have every intention to keep him. I get these calls, you know, about him. I don't understand why," Trump told the network, according to its chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl.

Also Read: Vance’s Trump gamble clouds 2028 race after midterm firestorm

However, reports of internal discussions about Hegseth's future have continued. According to NBC News, Trump has told some allies that he is considering replacing the Defence Secretary. CBS News has also reported that the President has discussed Hegseth's position with advisers, although no final decision has been made.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has emerged as a possible replacement, according to reports. Discussions have also reportedly considered whether he could secure Senate confirmation before the current Congress concludes its term.

Another possibility raised in reports is that Hegseth could move into a Senate seat from Tennessee, his home state, although no such decision has been announced.

For now, the White House's public position remains one of support for Hegseth. The Pentagon has also said the Defence Secretary is "100 percent committed" to leading the department until the end of Trump's term.

Iran war becomes Trump's biggest political liability

At the heart of the growing tensions is the Iran war, which has emerged as a major factor in the Republican Party's midterm defeat.

Trump has acknowledged that the conflict pushed up gasoline prices, adding to the economic pressure facing American households. However, he has defended the military campaign, arguing that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons justified the decision.

"Well, I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short-term, and probably that's uh probably it's true. But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I'd have to do it again because long-term, it's the only answer. You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

Hegseth has also continued to defend the military operation, describing it as necessary despite the political backlash.

"Regardless of how people feel about the war, which I believe is a courageous and historic effort that will ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons, we need to continue, as President Trump did in his first term, to rebuild our military," he said.

With Democrats set to take control of Congress, the political costs of the Iran war are likely to intensify for Trump and his administration. Investigations into military operations, Pentagon decisions and Hegseth’s leadership could put further pressure on the Defence Secretary, even as Trump continues to back him publicly.

At the same time, Vance’s statement and the uncertainty surrounding Rubio have added a succession dimension to the crisis, suggesting that the midterm defeat could reshape not only Trump’s administration but also the Republican Party’s battle for its post-Trump future.