Pete Hegseth faces lowest approval ratings in Trump Cabinet

Polling data indicates that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth holds the lowest approval rating among President Donald Trump’s Cabinet members. According to CNN data analyst Harry Enten, Hegseth’s net approval rating stands at -22, a figure that has remained consistently low throughout his tenure.

Other prominent administration officials also face negative approval ratings, including Vice President JD Vance at -17, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at -9, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at -8. Enten noted that Hegseth’s standing is particularly precarious given that previous officials, such as former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Secretary Kristi Noem, were forced to resign after their approval ratings dropped to -22 and -16, respectively.

Hegseth’s low numbers are linked to his vocal defense of the administration’s involvement in the Iran war, a conflict that lacks broad public support. Enten compared Hegseth’s current situation to that of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during the Iraq War, noting that Rumsfeld’s net approval was -7 before he was eventually forced to resign following the 2006 midterm elections.