President Trump is bracing for a post-election confrontation with Democrats—and some Republicans—over the fate of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the ongoing Iran conflict, and U.S. support for Ukraine. Democratic leaders are escalating calls for Hegseth's dismissal and signaling they will oppose any increase in Pentagon spending while hostilities with Iran persist.
Republicans, meanwhile, warn that Trump must take a firmer line against Russian President Vladimir Putin and reaffirm U.S. commitment to Ukraine to secure the defense budget increases the Pentagon says it needs after months of conflict. The brewing fight is expected to dominate the lame-duck session and could force a government shutdown if no compromise is reached.
Democrats Draw a Line on Funding
A senior Senate Democratic aide made clear that Democrats will not support funding for the Iran war, stating, "There's no world in which Democrats are funding the Iran war." The aide suggested Republicans may have to use reconciliation to pass defense spending, adding, "I don't know how it plays out if it's not through reconciliation because I think you'd be hard-pressed to find many, if any, Democrats who are willing to fund it."
Democrats are also ramping up pressure on Trump to remove Hegseth after the Nov. 3 election. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) has threatened to push for Hegseth's ouster if Democrats take control of the House, as many forecasters predict. Jeffries, who would likely become Speaker, told MS NOW over the weekend, "Pete Hegseth needs to be pushed aside by the president, or we're going to have to deal with that situation if he is not," hinting at possible impeachment proceedings.
Senate Democrats Join the Call
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, echoed those sentiments, saying, "I think Hegseth should have been fired multiple times." Kelly cited Hegseth's plan to livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan as the latest example of poor judgment, adding, "The guy has no idea what he's doing." Kelly argued that Hegseth's departure would help move the annual defense authorization and appropriations bills forward.
In the House, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced on social media that he would reintroduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth when Congress returns after the election.
Pentagon Defends Hegseth
Pentagon officials pushed back against the criticism. Chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said, "At the War Department, we are solely focused on Peace Through Strength and ensuring our warfighters have everything they need to be successful." Press secretary Kingsley Wilson added, "Secretary Hegseth has been a transformative leader for the Department of War. Standards and merit are back, our arsenal is stronger than ever before, and morale and recruitment across every service are at all-time highs."
Wilson also touted Hegseth's record of slashing bureaucracy and delivering for warfighters.
Funding Fight Could Trigger Shutdown
Senate Democrats are taking a hard line against Trump's request for nearly $70 billion in emergency defense funding and the administration's broader $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2027. However, there is division among Democrats over whether to pursue impeachment. One Senate Democratic aide noted, "I don't think you're going to see a huge appetite or at least a successful enough vote share to impeach Hegseth in the Senate," pointing to the 67-vote threshold required for conviction.
GOP strategist Brian Darling predicted an intense partisan fight over Hegseth's leadership and defense funding, calling it "a proxy fight over the Iran war." He added that Democrats could use the upcoming continuing resolution as leverage, especially if Republicans underperform on Election Day. "If Republicans don't do well on Election Day, it's going to empower Democrats to basically take the CR hostage and make demands," Darling said, noting that one demand could be related to Iran and Hegseth's future.
The looming clash comes as forecasters shift more House races toward Democrats, raising the stakes for the post-election session. With the CR deadline approaching, the battle over defense policy could easily spill into a broader government funding fight.
