Is Hegseth the New Rumsfeld?

Analysis When the face of an unpopular war faces a wrathful Congress “stuff happens.” A pencil drawing of a man smiling and wearing glasses Julian E. Zelizer, a columnist at Foreign Policy and a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. Julian’s , The Long View, here. A close-up shot of a man with gray hair and rimless glasses looking directly ahead with a serious expression, positioned just behind the blurred profile of another man in the foreground. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (left) watches as then-U. Bush speaks to the media about the war in Iraq at Camp David, Maryland, on June 12, 2006. Sisley/ November 9, 2026, AM With the midterm elections over, the future of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hangs in the balance. Hakeem Jeffries, who is set to be speaker of the house, announced this weekend that he would vote in favor of a resolution to impeach Hegseth. The Defense Secretary is one of the most controversial figures in President Donald Trump’s cabinet, and has purged the Pentagon of many top officials widely perceived as highly effective. He has repeatedly made provocative culture-war comments that have little to do with national security. And most damaging to his reputation, Hegseth has become the face of the war in Iran. No matter how unpopular the U. S. military operations have been, Hegseth has stood behind the president. He has defended the pledge to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program and to establish a stronger foothold in the region, even as voters, including those in red states, flocked to the polls to express their disapproval of the administration’s foreign policy. With the midterm elections over, the future of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hangs in the balance. Hakeem Jeffries, who is set to be speaker of the house, announced this weekend that he would vote in favor of a resolution to impeach Hegseth. The Defense Secretary is one of the most controversial figures in President Donald Trump’s cabinet, and has purged the Pentagon of many top officials widely perceived as highly effective. He has repeatedly made provocative culture-war comments that have little to do with national security. And most damaging to his reputation, Hegseth has become the face of the war in Iran. No matter how unpopular the U. S. military operations have been, Hegseth has stood behind the president. He has defended the pledge to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program and to establish a stronger foothold in the region, even as voters, including those in red states, flocked to the polls to express their disapproval of the administration’s foreign policy.