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By Ellie Cook
Senior Defense Reporter
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With Pete Hegseth's political future hanging in the balance, attention is turning to who could replace the Defense Secretary, should a bipartisan impeachment succeed or President Donald Trump chooses to remove him.
Outgoing Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie, who has been fiercely critical of Hegseth, reintroduced articles of impeachment against the Defense Secretary on November 9 and said that he would force a House vote on alleged violations of the U.S. constitution.
Hegseth called Massie a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" and described the impeachment articles as a "sham."
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Trump, meanwhile, vowed to stand by Hegseth, should he be impeached. But the president reportedly fished for advice on whether Hegseth should stay on after the president and his top officials conceded the Iran war was at least partly responsible for the Democrats retaking both the House and the Senate last week.
A total of 63 percent of voters believed the U.S. made the wrong decision in launching attacks on Iran, according to NBC exit polls published in the hours after the midterms. Nearly three quarters of Americans casting their ballot said the war was a crucial or major factor in how they chose to vote.
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Hegseth is closely associated with the Iran war, and has been heavily criticized by Democrats for stripping away diversity initiatives at the Pentagon, blocking journalists from the department and for overseeing the administration's deadly strike campaign against suspected drug vessels.
But he has also alienated some Republican colleagues, who expressed concern over internal friction at the Pentagon and questioned whether Hegseth’s dismissal of senior military officials has harmed readiness.
Massie brought articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson quickly recessed the chamber without a vote on Massie's measure taking place—meaning Republicans did not have to pass public judgment on Hegseth's leadership of the Pentagon ahead of the midterms.
While the GOP controls Congress, impeachment is unlikely to pass through the chambers.
"My effort to impeach Secretary Hegseth is a much gentler version of what's coming when the Democrats assume control of the House and Senate next year," Massie said on Monday, urging Trump to fire Hegseth while Republicans still exert substantial influence in Congress.
If Trump fired Hegseth in the "lame duck" Congress between the midterms and early January, he would still have a Republican majority in both Houses, meaning he may be able to quickly have a replacement confirmed by the Senate before the Democrats take control.
But who could his replacement be?
Dan Driscoll
Driscoll was the highest-ranking civilian leader in the U.S. Army before he resigned on September 2, 2026.
His exit came after months of speculation he had butted heads with Hegseth, and rumors he could be a potential successor to the Defense Secretary.
He is thought to have disagreed with Hegseth's remodeling of the U.S. military, and opposed the Pentagon chief firing a slew of senior military leaders.
Hegseth said in September he would axe a fifth of all U.S. generals and admirals by the start of 2027 after previously condemning what he called "fat generals and admirals."
A string of top military officials have left or been pushed out since Hegseth took over, including the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C.Q. Brown, who is black, and Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve as head of naval operations. Hegseth has also reportedly stopped dozens of promotions across the U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy.
Driscoll was closely associated with General Randy George, a popular and well-regarded leader who served as the U.S. Army Chief of Staff until April 2, 2026. The Pentagon said in a brief statement at the time George would retire "immediately."
But Trump asked Driscoll to stay on as Army Secretary until after the midterms, the Washington Post reported shortly after Driscoll's resignation became public.
Driscoll also raised concerns about Hegseth's cull of senior military leaders hurting the U.S.'s armed forces, American media reported.
The White House insisted Trump had "complete trust" in Hegseth, and the Pentagon said Hegseth takes great pride in keeping the White House informed," according to statements cited by ABC News.
Ron DeSantis
Massie has suggested Florida Governor Ron DeSantis could be in contention to be Hegseth's successor.
DeSantis, a former Judge Advocate General (JAG) for the U.S. Navy, is due to wrap up his time as governor in January.
The Army, Navy and Air Force each have their own JAGs. They're the most senior ports of call for advice on whether orders are legal, and current and former officials say Hegseth has sought to sideline the top uniformed lawyers in the Pentagon.
DeSantis is being floated by Trump officials as a possible replacement for Hegseth, CBS News reported last week.
One unnamed source told the broadcaster he could be confirmed by the Senate during the "lame duck" period.
"I think Ron DeSantis would be great at it," Massie said. "I don’t think he would run into the same problems that Hegseth has."
Joni Ernst
Sarah Trone Garriott, the Democrat Representative-elect for Iowa's 3rd Congressional district, has put forward Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst as a potential option to lead the Pentagon.
Ernst was the first woman combat veteran to serve in the Senate and is a former Army National Guard commander. She pressed Hegseth on his views on women in the military before he was confirmed by the Senate, and was reported to be reluctant to confirm a general aligned with Hegseth as the Army's chief of staff.
"I think there are a lot of very qualified people, such as Joni Ernst," the incoming Representative said. "She has a good background, she could be a consideration."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Paul Donnelley.
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