Donald Trump is losing patience with the Pentagon chief because of the stalled Iran war, according to several sources
3-MIN READ3-MIN1 ListenDewey SimandKhushboo RazdanPublished: 6:00am, 18 Aug 2026Updated: 6:02am, 18 Aug 2026Speculation is growing that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is at increasing risk of losing his job, raising questions about the possible implications for US-China relations, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, said Hegseth was “on the verge of losing his job”.
The uncertainty comes at a sensitive time for defence relations between the United States and China, which have shown signs of improvement since Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Beijing in May.
One source familiar with engagements between the two countries’ armed forces said there had been contact at almost all levels during Trump’s second term and relations were the best they had been in more than a decade.
