Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday blasted efforts to impeach him as a farce that would embolden US adversaries, as he lashed out at his political opponents in Congress and the media in an unapologetic defence of his record. Striking a defiant tone at a Pentagon news briefing, Hegseth thanked President Donald Trump for his continued support as the House of Representatives scheduled a procedural vote for late Tuesday that will test support for his impeachment.
Hegseth said past impeachments of Trump had ultimately failed, and added: "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." US Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday. Massie said in a post on X that if the House of Representatives can overcome Tuesday's procedural effort, "we will proceed to a real debate and vote on the Articles of Impeachment." Congressional sources say the resolution may have the votes to pass even with Trump's Republicans still controlling the House until Democrats take over on January 3.
Conviction appears unlikely in the Senate, however, where a two-thirds majority is required and Republicans hold 53 of 100 seats. Hegseth is accused of various abuses of power in office, including issuing orders to go to war with Iran without an imminent threat or approval from Congress.
Voter anger over the Iran war helped Democrats win control of Congress in last week's midterm elections. A new Vice President JD Vance has publicly questioned the war.
Hegseth declined to be drawn into responding to Vance, but defended the conflict, calling Trump courageous and saying Iran's military has been left in ruins. "History will judge the Iran war quite differently than the conventional wisdom right now," he said.
Hegseth 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." Trump repeated his backing of Hegseth in a post on his Truth Social platform just after the Pentagon briefing ended, dismissing Thomas Massie and praising Hegseth's robust defence of his administration's policies.
A polarising figure in American politics, Hegseth would be the first US defence secretary to be impeached since 1876. Democrats have promised to investigate Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon if he remains in office next year.