Pressure mounts on US Defence chief Hegseth after Republican election rout

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is under growing pressure, with victorious Democrats planning to target him in Congress and Republicans blaming the Iran war he championed for their election losses.

President Donald Trump has stood by Hegseth so far, insisting he's doing "a very good job".

But Trump and Vice President JD Vance have both blamed midterm election losses on the Iran war, for which Hegseth is a key advocate and spokesman.