Pete Hegseth has managed to accomplish something few members of Donald Trump’s Cabinet can claim: He has the worst approval rating of all of them.
And according to CNN data analyst Harry Enten, the numbers aren’t just bad. They could eventually put Hegseth’s job at risk.
Hegseth’s net approval rating stands at -22 in polling from Quinnipiac University and Fox News, putting him well behind other prominent members of Trump’s administration.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is at -8. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sits at -9. Vice President JD Vance is at -17.
Hegseth is at the bottom.
And this isn’t a one-off bad poll. Enten said Hegseth’s numbers have remained remarkably consistent throughout his tenure, describing the defense secretary as “the lowest of the low” and saying his approval rating has stayed around the same level in every poll he examined.
The timing couldn’t be worse.
Hegseth has become one of the administration’s most outspoken defenders of the Iran war, a conflict that remains deeply unpopular with Americans.
The war began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 without congressional authorization. Public support for the conflict has remained below 40 percent, while the fighting has contributed to higher gasoline prices and the deaths of U.S. service members.
Hegseth has nevertheless continued to defend the administration’s approach.
His numbers are particularly striking because Rubio has also been closely involved in the administration’s Iran policy.
Both men have participated in internal discussions and negotiations involving Trump, Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and other senior officials.
Yet Rubio has emerged from the political fallout with a significantly better public standing.
Enten said Rubio has “come out smelling like roses” compared with Hegseth.
Then there’s the historical comparison that could make the White House particularly uncomfortable.
Enten compared Hegseth’s numbers with those of Donald Rumsfeld, President George W. Bush’s defense secretary during the Iraq War.
At a comparable point before the 2006 midterm elections, Rumsfeld’s net approval rating was -7—15 points higher than Hegseth’s current rating.
Rumsfeld resigned shortly after Republicans suffered major losses in the 2006 elections.
“Why is this comparison in my mind so much?” Enten said. “Because, remember, Don Rumsfeld was essentially forced to resign after those midterm elections, after Republicans got crushed.”
Hegseth’s numbers also look remarkably similar to those of other Trump officials whose time in the administration eventually came to an end.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi had a -20 net approval rating before her departure, according to Quinnipiac polling.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stood at -16.
Hegseth is doing worse than both.
For now, Trump continues to defend his defense secretary.
But Enten raised the obvious question: How long can that protection last if Hegseth becomes a political liability?
“Donald Trump has been defending Pete Hegseth,” Enten said. “But I have to ask the question: for how long?”
The midterm elections could provide the answer.
Democrats currently hold an advantage in polling on which party voters prefer to control Congress, raising the possibility of significant political consequences for the Trump administration in November.
If Republicans suffer major losses, pressure could mount on the president to make changes inside his administration.
And Hegseth’s polling numbers give critics a pretty obvious target.
“There are definitely red lights flashing in the polls when it comes to Pete Hegseth’s job security,” CNN anchor John Berman said following Enten’s analysis.
For now, Hegseth still has Trump’s backing. But if the political landscape turns ugly in November, being the worst-rated member of the president’s entire Cabinet may suddenly become a much bigger problem.
Watch the CNN segment below:
Enten: "Pete Hegseth — the lowest of the low — 22 points underwater! And this has been something that has been going on throughout the entire administration. He has been underwater in every single poll … Rumsfeld was 15 points better than Pete Hegseth … Pam Bondi was only… pic.twitter.com/p00bRPZuRz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 10, 2026
