Trump Considers Firing Hext After Congressional Elections The Atlantic reported that Donald Trump, in confidential conversations with his closest advisers, asked for their opinion on firing Pete Hext, the US Secretary of War, and Dan Keena, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after the midterm elections. According to The Atlantic, the US President questioned the performance of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who previously assured him that the war against Iran would end long before the midterm elections.