US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a video message vowing to fight efforts in Congress to impeach him and defending the Iran war as courageous and historic after voters punished Republicans over it in this weeks midterm elections, Reuters reports.

Hegseth’s remarks, posted on social media, come as taunts from his foes in Congress intensify and President Donald Trump swats away questions about whether he might fire Hegseth. Trump has commended his Pentagon chief.

The top Democrat in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, asked in a post: “Why is Pete Hegseth still around?”

Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has been a polarising figure who has made enemies even within his own Republican Party. Critics in Congress are targeting his conduct of the Iran war, which Vice President JD Vance has said cost Republicans control of Congress, his firing of top military officers and strained relations with lawmakers as the administration seeks a $1.5 trillion defence spending package.