“None of our soldiers have been killed in months.” Trump praised Hegseth’s “wonderful” work during the Iran war.

US President Donald Trump, on Thursday, expressed his confidence in his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is facing pressure, telling reporters that he is doing a "fantastic job."

Earlier Thursday, sources told CNN that Republicans in the House of Representatives are expected to soon vote on a resolution rejecting the performance of the Secretary of Defense, as many of them hold responsible for the heavy losses incurred by the party in the midterm elections for the war on Iran.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican known for his staunch opposition to Trump, told CNN that he intends to put forward a vote to impeach Hegseth when Congress reconvenes next week, and multiple Republican sources have indicated they expect that vote to pass.

In response to a question on Thursday about whether he expected any changes in his administration’s staff, specifically the dismissal of Hegseth, Trump answered “no,” referring to the Secretary of Defense’s efforts to make radical changes in the leadership of the Pentagon. He also praised Hegseth’s role in the ongoing conflict with Iran, claiming - inaccurately - that “no one has been killed in about 6 or 7 months.”

He said: "I think he is doing a wonderful job. We fought a war with Venezuela that ended in 48 minutes, and we achieved complete success without any deaths... I don't even know if it can be called a war, since no one has been killed for many months, but we are at war with a place called the Islamic Republic of Iran; what a beautiful place."

It is noteworthy that 18 American soldiers have died as a result of hostilities or accidents since the outbreak of war on February 28. Despite Trump's claim that there have been no deaths among American forces for six or seven months, Pentagon records indicate that 4 American soldiers were killed during operations in July, and a US Navy pilot died in the same month following a helicopter crash in the Arabian Sea. In a related context, on Thursday, Trump signed a decree classifying the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room in the White House as “national landmarks.” This is a step that he said aims to protect these two spaces in the West Wing from any changes that may occur to them in the future. The ceremony is the third event organized by Trump this week related to the construction or renovation projects he is overseeing in the US capital - projects that have not been widely accepted by voters. “This is about the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room, which are two very important spaces,” Trump told reporters from inside the Oval Office - which has undergone major modifications, including the addition of many gold decorations, since his return to the White House in 2025. “I will sign a document that will make them an eternal historical landmark.” Trump indicated that his administration would send this document to Congress, and said: “We will declare them as a national landmark, and we will send the document to Congress for approval.” He added: "As a federal landmark - and once the documents are finalized and legally binding - it will become impossible for anyone to destroy this wonderful place." CNN contacted the White House to inquire about this document and Trump’s intentions regarding it. It is noteworthy that Trump put his own mark on these two spaces in the White House. In the Oval Office alone, he added gilt statuettes on the mantelpiece, medallions on the fireplace itself, gold eagles on the side tables, gilded Rococo mirrors on the doors, and small gold cupids - transported from his Mar-a-Lago resort and placed in the architectural decoration above the doorways. Trump added on Thursday: “I thought it was very important that no one be allowed to come in and remove these modifications or try to change the location.”