美国总统唐纳德·特朗普（Donald Trump）周三表示，国防部长皮特·黑格塞斯（Pete Hegseth）将继续留任，尽管他承认，与伊朗的战争导致共和党在中期选举中惨败，民主党人准备利用他们在国会的新多数地位，对五角大楼负责人进行潜在的调查。
特朗普驳回了取代海格塞斯的可能性，告诉记者他“做得很好”。当被问及关于黑格斯正在关注共和党参议员玛莎·布莱克本（Marsha Blackburn）即将空出的田纳西州席位的猜测时，特朗普预测国防部长在该州将“非常受欢迎”。
周二赢得田纳西州州长竞选的布莱克本拒绝就谁可能被选中填补她的参议员席位发表意见。当被问及谁将被任命时，她说，“这不是今天的话题。”
特朗普发表上述言论之际，共和党人正在努力应对与伊朗八个月战争的政治后果，这场战争推高了天然气价格，并加剧了选民对生活成本的不满。这场战争及其经济后果被广泛认为是共和党在中期选举中惨败的主要因素。
特朗普对记者说：“我们不得不做伊朗的事情，我们将继续这样做。”他补充说，他认为从长远来看，这场战争是值得的。
4月，赫格塞斯宣布对伊朗取得了“历史性的压倒性胜利”。但是战斗已经持续了几个月，打死打伤了美军，抬高了能源成本，消耗了昂贵的美国军火，可能需要几年才能更换。
根据他的发言人的说法，海格塞斯打算在特朗普任期结束前留在五角大楼。
五角大楼发言人肖恩·帕内尔周三对美国广播公司新闻说：“赫格塞斯部长不会退缩，也不会被寻求获得党派分数或在不存在不法行为的情况下发起虚假调查的政客所吓倒，”他补充说，赫格塞斯“100%致力于领导该部门，直到特朗普总统任期结束。”
据熟悉情况的消息人士透露，特朗普私下寻求接近白宫的共和党人的意见，了解他们对黑格斯工作的看法。目前，政府正在努力应对战争和选举的政治后果。
民主党人表示，他们准备利用新的国会多数席位来审查一个在过去两年中面临有限监督的政府，预计黑格斯将成为审查和可能弹劾的主要目标。民主党人可以利用他们的传票权，试图就伊朗战争、打击涉嫌毒品走私船只的合法性以及海格思未加解释地解雇高级军官等问题向五角大楼官员提问。
但党内领导人也希望将可负担性放在议程的首位，平衡对特朗普政府的调查和帮助他们赢得中期选举的经济担忧。
副总统万斯（JD Vance）被广泛视为2028年共和党总统候选人提名的可能竞争者，他在坦率指责政府的冲突中与自己保持距离，将共和党的失败归咎于与伊朗的战争。
“我们失败的原因是战争，”万斯周三在社交媒体上说。＂总统本人昨晚也这么说了。＂
美国广播公司（ABC News）的选民民意调查数据显示，在全国范围内，34%的美国众议院选民表示，伊朗战争对他们的投票“至关重要”，49%的人表示生活成本也是如此，55%的人表示政府腐败对他们的投票至关重要。
万斯认为，共和党人可以为开战的决定辩护，但不应该忽视选举的后果。
“如果你想争辩这是值得的，在接下来的6年里失去参议院是值得的，那么就这样做吧。认为这是值得付出的代价。同意或不同意，这至少是诚实的，”他补充道。“但是每个人都知道我们为什么会输。任何关于我们何去何从的坦诚对话都必须从那里开始。”
Trump dismisses prospect of replacing Hegseth amid Iran war fallout， looming Democratic investigations
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would remain on the job， even as he acknowledged that the war with Iran had contributed to Republicans＇ sweeping midterm losses and as Democrats prepare to use their new congressional majority to potentially investigate the Pentagon chief．
Trump dismissed the possibility of replacing Hegseth， telling reporters he was ＂doing a great job．＂ When asked about speculation that Hegseth is eyeing Republican Sen． Marsha Blackburn＇s soon-to-be-vacated Tennessee seat， Trump predicted the defense secretary would be ＂very popular＂ in the state．
Blackburn， who won Tennessee＇s gubernatorial race Tuesday， declined to weigh in on who might be picked to fill her Senate seat． Asked about who would be appointed， she said， ＂It＇s not a conversation for today．＂
Trump＇s remarks come as Republicans grapple with the political fallout from the eight-month war with Iran， which has driven up gas prices and fueled voter frustration over the cost of living． The war and its economic consequences are widely seen as a major factor in Republicans＇ crushing midterm defeat．
＂The Iran thing we had to do， and we continue to do it，＂ Trump told reporters， adding that he believes the war will be worth it in the long term．
In April， Hegseth declared a ＂historic and overwhelming victory＂ over Iran． But fighting has continued for months， killing and wounding American troops， driving up energy costs and consuming expensive U．S． munitions that could take years to replace．
Hegseth intends to remain at the Pentagon through the end of Trump＇s term， according to his spokesperson．
＂Secretary Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists，＂ Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told ABC News Wednesday， adding Hegseth is ＂100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump＇s term in office．＂
Trump has privately sought input from Republicans close to the White House about how they feel Hegseth is doing in the job， according to sources familiar with the situation， as the administration grapples with the political consequences of the war and the election．
Democrats say they are preparing to use their new congressional majority to scrutinize an administration that has faced limited oversight during the past two years， with Hegseth expected to be a major target for scrutiny and possible impeachment． Democrats could use their subpoena power to attempt to question Pentagon officials about the Iran war， the legality of strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats and Hegseth＇s unexplained firings of senior military officers．
But party leaders are also looking to keep affordability at the forefront of their agenda， balancing investigations into the Trump administration with the economic concerns that helped deliver their sweeping midterm wins．
Vice President JD Vance， who has been widely viewed as a possible contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028， distanced himself from the conflict in a candid rebuke of the administration， placing the GOP defeat on the war with Iran．
＂The reason we lost is the war，＂ Vance said in a social media post Wednesday． ＂The president himself said so last night．＂
Nationally， 34% of U．S． House voters said that the war in Iran was ＂crucial＂ to their vote， while 49% said the same about the cost of living and 55% said government corruption was crucial to their vote， according to ABC News Voter Poll data．
Vance argued that Republicans could defend the decision to go to war， but should not ignore the electoral consequences．
＂If you＇d like to argue it was worth it， that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it， then do so． Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay． Agree or disagree， that＇s at least honest，＂ he added． ＂But everyone knows why we lost． And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there．＂
