President Trump's repeated public endorsement of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, including recent statements affirming strong performance, anchors trader expectations that no removal will occur by October 31. Hegseth has consolidated authority through extensive leadership changes at the Pentagon, including the departure of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, while advancing priorities amid ongoing U.S. military operations related to Iran. Although Republican Senator Thom Tillis and others have criticized management and urged replacement, these calls lack White House momentum or procedural follow-through in the compressed timeline. Cabinet secretaries serve at the president's discretion, and absent a major new catalyst such as a Senate vote or explicit directive, the current alignment favors continuity through the resolution window.