Trump is secretly asking advisers whether to fire defence secretary Pete Hegseth after the midterms over the Iran war
Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth and JD Vance. Advisers have accused defence secretary Hegseth of painting the Iran war in "rosy terms" while a dossier of evidence against him is reportedly being compiled inside the Pentagon.
Trump has concluded the drawn-out Iran war is partly responsible for Republican midterm losses, and has been privately quizzing allies on whether Hegseth and Joint Chiefs chairman General Dan Caine should be dismissed. One outside adviser described Hegseth as "good at telling the president what he wants to hear," with others accusing the defence secretary of painting the conflict in "rosy terms." Netanyahu is pressing Trump to strike Iran immediately after Tuesday's vote, while Trump favours letting negotiations run.
A dossier of "explosive" evidence against Hegseth is reportedly being secretly compiled inside the Pentagon, with one Army officer storing files locked in a gun safe.
Hegseth's Pentagon has handed Raytheon a no-bid $394 million contract extension despite the firm's admission to defrauding the military of over $111 million.
Disgruntled officials say Hegseth runs the Department of Defense "like a personal fiefdom" and have nicknamed his wife Jennifer Rauchet "Yoko Ono."
