With a new impeachment push aimed at the Pentagon’s top official, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday dismissed the effort as a “farce” and “sabotage,” warning it would only bolster America’s adversaries.
Speaking at a news conference, Mr Hegseth responded a day after US Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, introduced eight articles of impeachment accusing him of abusing power during the Iran war.
In his first Pentagon news conference since May, Mr Hegseth argued that previous impeachment drives against President Donald Trump had collapsed — and predicted the same fate for this one.
“Both times he came back stronger, and the American people sent him back to the White House. Now they’re trying a third time. This time against a member of his cabinet.
“They will fail again, and if standing with President Trump puts me in that company, I’ll take that company every day of the week.”
Mr Hegseth cast the impeachment bid as an attack on national interests rather than a constitutional check.
“This is not patriotism. This is sabotage,” he said. “This process hands our adversaries a propaganda victory.”
Turning to the Iran war at the center of the dispute, Mr Hegseth said he stood by the decisions made and the actions taken.
Referring to the Iran war, he said: “I stand beside every one of these operations. I was proud to execute them, and I would do it again tomorrow.”
Mr Massie, writing on X, said the House would take an initial vote today on a procedural motion aimed at blocking the resolution before it could advance.
“If we can overcome that effort, we will proceed to a real debate and vote on the Articles of Impeachment,” he said.
Asked about comments by Vice President JD Vance that the war was a major factor behind Republicans losing this month’s midterm elections, Mr Hegseth said the conflict would be studied for lessons — while insisting the underlying purpose was justified.
“It was done for the right reasons, to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.”
He pointed to remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, quoting him on the political risk and the perceived necessity of the campaign.
He cited US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as saying of the war: “It’s not necessarily popular, but it may have been necessary, and that’s certainly how I feel. It was a necessary undertaking.”
President Trump reaffirmed his support for Mr Hegseth shortly after the Pentagon briefing, issuing a sharp attack on Mr Massie via Truth Social.
“Pete Hegseth gets an ‘A’ PLUS, PLUS, PLUS for his defense against a disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman, Thomas Massie, a TOTAL LOSER!” he wrote.
