After the Democrats shattered Republican hopes across the country with a midterm 'bluenami' handing them control of Congress, Donald Trump is facing increasing pressure to reshuffle his cabinet.
It did not take long until calls for a scapegoat to take the blame for one of the most bruising midterm defeats in modern political history got loud – reaching the highest circles of Republican Washington.
On Wednesday morning, Trump took questions at the construction site of his new White House ballroom.
He said, again, that he had not been on the ballot – even though he had asked voters to pretend he was – and that he had no plans to change his Cabinet because the result had nothing to do with them.
While Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and even Secretary of State Marco Rubio found themselves under pressure, another name quickly dominated headlines.
Pete Hegseth might be the one to take the heat, after a White House insider familiar with the President's phone calls told the Daily Mail that Trump had been canvassing a handful of close advisers whether to get rid of his Defense Secretary.
And those sources now expect Hegseth gone before the new Congress is sworn in next January. As of Thursday morning, Trump insisted he has 'every intention to keep him.'
But he also acknowledged it would be easier to confirm a new Defense Secretary before the Democrats take over the Senate in January.
Follow the Daily Mail for more updates...
Republicans turn on Pete Hegseth after midterms blitz
Representative Jason Crow of Colorado, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, told CBS News' Face the Nation on October 25 that pushing Hegseth out of the Pentagon was his 'priority number one' if Democrats retake the House, and at least three other Democrats have already filed articles seeking Hegseth's impeachment.
A Democrat aide told CNN in the days before the vote that Hegseth was seen by the party as the 'lowest hanging fruit, because of the animosity that seems to be both from Republican and Democratic senators and staff.'
However, no Cabinet member has ever been successfully forced from office by the House.
When asked about Hegseth and if he's considering firing him, Trump insisted he wasn't.
'I have every intention to keep him,' the president told ABC News on Thursday. 'I get these calls, you know, about him. I don't understand why.'
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Trump slams Decoy Dan in Alaska election scandal
Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday morning to blast 'Decoy Dan' over Alaska's midterm election, following revelations of an alleged 'ballot scheme' scandal.
Democrats in the state have been accused of recruiting a similarly named candidate to run against GOP Senator Dan Sullivan, allegedly intending to confuse voters and help Democratic nominee Mary Peltola.
'The vote totals for the Fake Dan Sullivan, plus the other "slug" that he Dems put on the Ballot, should be immediately given to the REAL Dan Sullivan, and the Election is over - He easily wins,' Trump wrote in a post.
'There is no other fair solution! President DJT.'
Alaska has traditionally been a conservative stronghold, but polls show the state may be set to elect its first Democrat to the senate since 2008 as Peltola has drawn Sullivan into a tight race.
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WATCH: Midterm victories that made history
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Trump downplays midterms horror show in first public appearance focused on his White House vanity projects
Donald Trump focused on his lavish White House ballroom in his first public appearance since Democrats seized control of the House and Senate.
The President largely ignored the disastrous midterm results that have left his political legacy in jeopardy, instead showing off the construction of his $600million vanity project to reporters on Wednesday morning.
Just hours earlier, Trump had admitted that the Iran war and soaring gas prices had contributed to the Republicans' crushing defeat.
As Republicans blamed Trump for devastating losses across the country and questioned whether the MAGA era was coming to an end, he chose to sign a steel beam destined for what he claims will be the most 'beautiful' ballroom in the world.
Trump invited the press to view his ongoing construction efforts and spoke at length about the progress on his personal vanity projects.
The REAL winners and losers of the midterms: Bitter humiliation for Trump with Hegseth in danger from bloodthirsty Democrats... who may have found their new leader
The president's party has lost control of the House and Senate, setting the scene for a slew of investigations, political battles and perhaps his own impeachment.
Many of his allies have lost their own election fights, and been forced from office: among them Texas Governor Greg Abbott; his much-admired friend from Ohio, Jon Husted; and his hand-picked candidate for South Carolina, Lindsey Graham's sister Darline.
It is a damning indictment of his two years in power, and portends trouble ahead.
Here is a look at some of the biggest winners and losers from Tuesday's vote.
