Pressure Mounts On Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth After Midterm Debacle

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under growing pressure, with victorious Democrats planning to target him in Congress and Republicans blaming the Iran war he championed for their election losses.Hegseth, a former Fox News co-host and National Guard officer, has survived repeated scandals since taking office in early 2025, but his time may be running out.President Donald Trump has stood by Hegseth so far, insisting that "he's doing a very good job" when asked whether he was going to replace the Pentagon chief.But Trump and Vice President JD Vance have both blamed the Iran war -- in which Hegseth is a key advocate and spokesman -- for recent midterm election losses.Opposition Democrats won sweeping majorities in both houses of Congress this week, giving them the power to launch investigations and also to curb funding for the Defense Department and the Iran war.The conflict, which has seen Iran partially block the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway, has wreaked havoc on the global economy.