**Pete Hegseth remains Secretary of Defense amid ongoing Pentagon turnover and limited congressional pushback.** President Trump has publicly backed Hegseth’s leadership and personnel decisions, including the removal or blocking of promotions for dozens of senior officers and the recent resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll following clashes over firings. A single Republican senator, Thom Tillis, publicly urged replacement in early September, citing leadership gaps, yet no broader Senate or administration effort has emerged to force an exit before the October 31 resolution date. With midterm elections approaching and active military operations ongoing, the administration’s focus on continuity and the absence of formal removal proceedings support traders’ assessment that Hegseth will retain the post through the period.