Pete Hegseth remains Secretary of War as of late October 2026, with President Trump publicly defending his performance and rejecting Democratic impeachment efforts tied to the ongoing Iran conflict and leadership purges. Recent firings of senior military planners, including Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, have drawn bipartisan criticism and low public approval ratings around 32 percent, while some Republican lawmakers have floated removal as a post-midterm option. Trump’s consistent backing, however, anchors trader expectations that congressional pressure and internal Pentagon tensions will not produce an exit before year-end. Midterm results and any subsequent House proceedings could introduce volatility, but the two-month window favors continuity under current White House support.