Pete Hegseth continues to serve as Secretary of Defense (now styled Secretary of War) into August 2026, overseeing operations amid the ongoing conflict with Iran and recent Pentagon leadership changes. Republican senators have voiced growing frustration over the war’s duration and management, with Sen. Thom Tillis publicly questioning Hegseth’s effectiveness in early August, while Democratic calls for resignation date back to 2025 inspector general findings on Signal communications. Despite these pressures and earlier 2026 firings of senior officers, no congressional removal proceedings or White House signals of departure have materialized. Traders price the 24% chance of an exit by year-end against this backdrop of institutional continuity and lack of decisive political catalysts.