Hegseth downplays impeachment push
Washington—US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was set to hold a rare news conference on Tuesday as he pushed back against congressional efforts to remove him from office for alleged misconduct.
Under pressure after President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance blamed the Iran war for the Republican Party’s sweeping losses in midterm elections, Hegseth now faces impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives.
“There’s a lot of politically motivated people who … may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,” Hegseth told reporters on Monday when asked about efforts to remove him.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what our president has done, the decisions that he’s made, the courageous calls that he’s made, the bold nature of our … military leadership, the skill and courage of the troops on the ground,” he said.
War Powers Resolution
The impeachment efforts are being spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie, an anti-Trump Republican lawmaker who is leaving office after losing a primary contest to a candidate backed by the president.
Several of the articles of impeachment—which Massie introduced on Monday—relate to the Iran war, accusing Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution, which requires congressional consultation on and oversight of US military interventions.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Massie accused Hegseth of using “our troops to go seize oil for large corporations in America” and derided the Trump administration’s refusal to acknowledge the bombing of a school in Iran.
“I mean, obviously we hit it, and you can determine what kind of missiles from the range and the kind of destruction there was. I don’t think they’re going to get out of that article of impeachment by saying, ‘Oh, we don’t know who bombed that school’—although I think the president tried that for a day or two,” Massie said.
‘Sham’ impeachment
Hegseth is a staunch defender of the widely unpopular conflict in Iran, which he has described as a “courageous and historic effort.”
He has previously dismissed Massie’s “sham articles of impeachment” and equated the effort to remove him as Pentagon chief with past impeachments of Trump.
“It’s all about the politics of personal destruction. Didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me,” Hegseth said in a video message last week.
Trump threw his support behind Hegseth on Monday, declaring he had done a “good job” and “won” wars in Venezuela and Iran—referring to the lightning raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January and the unresolved eight-month conflict with Tehran.
Asked what would happen if Hegseth is impeached, Trump told reporters: “Yeah, I’ll stand by him.”
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