Cabinet members are seldom major figures in campaigns, but the defense secretary’s forays into politics and his bravado in defense of an unpopular war have made him a target.
In the final weeks of a midterm congressional battle in which voters’ opposition to the war with Iran has become a major issue, Democrats are increasingly making Mr. Hegseth a main character in their campaign messaging.
A bipartisan group of 12 senators called on the president to drop his decision to ease sanctions on Russia’s exports of diesel fuel, saying the deal would help Moscow continue the war in Ukraine.
The letter, led by Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, came just weeks after Congress overwhelmingly approved legislation intended to increase economic pressure on Moscow and its allies.
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