Pressure mounts on US Defence chief Hegseth after Republican election rout

As the dust settles on the midterm election results, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is finding himself increasingly isolated, with the U.S. President acknowledging that the war in Iran contributed to the Republicans' historic losses. The self-proclaimed Secretary of War is facing growing pressure amid reports from U.S. media that President Trump is considering firing him. In the wake of taking control in the House and Senate, the new Democratic majority in Congress is promising to investigate Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon. Hegseth took to social media to defend his record. You see, they attack me, they attack us, because we are effective. It's not going to work. We will not back down. We put America and the warfighter first, always and without apology. And that fight continues in the lame duck Congress. Back in April, House Democrats filed articles of impeachment, citing the war in Iran and accusing Hegseth of high crimes and misdemeanors. But the Iran war is not the only reason some Democrats want to investigate the Secretary of Defense. During his first months in office, a journalist revealed that he had been included in a signal group chat where information on impending military strikes in Yemen was shared, a move Move which could have endangered troops' safety. He also removed numerous senior military officers, often without providing any justification, culminating in the dismissal of US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles C.Q. Brown. Under his leadership, the US military has carried out strikes against alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific. In a deadly campaign the critics say lacks transparency And has faced little accountability. Most recently, he announced plans to broadcast live the execution of the perpetrator of an attack on U.S. troops, before being overruled by the president.