Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday dismissed an effort to question him as “political spectacle,” framing the push led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie as an indictment in opposition to the troops — as Home GOP leaders mull how to quash the effort to take away the Pentagon’s chief from workplace.
The press convention comes as calls to question Hegseth have grown as several Republicans have attributed the GOP’s sweeping midterm losses to the Iran warfare. Outgoing Rep. Massie launched articles of impeachment in opposition to Hegseth on the Home ground Monday afternoon.
“What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is trying shouldn’t be oversight, and it is not accountability. It is a political spectacle, a private manifesto pushed by ego and resentment,” Hegseth mentioned throughout a press convention on the Pentagon.
Secretary of Conflict Pete Hegseth speaks throughout a information convention on the Pentagon, November 10, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures
A defiant Hegseth on Tuesday morning mentioned every of the navy engagements talked about as a part of the hassle — together with strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats within the Caribbean and the warfare with Iran — have been lawful actions directed by President Donald Trump. Not one of the operations have been permitted by Congress, which Massie pointed to in his articles of impeachment in opposition to Hegseth.
Hegseth framed the eight articles of impeachment as being directed at U.S. navy service members.
Secretary of Conflict Pete Hegseth speaks throughout a information convention on the Pentagon, November 10, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures
Critiques of navy operations have lengthy been divorced from the valor and sacrifice of U.S. troops, going again to a minimum of the Vietnam Conflict, together with Hegseth’s personal longstanding critiques of the chaotic withdraw from Afghanistan beneath President Joe Biden.
Hegseth identified that no Protection Secretary has ever been impeached “for finishing up lawful navy operations, and in our case, profitable ones at that.”
Hegseth mentioned that Massie needs to undo his work over “coverage disagreements,” saying not one of the articles — which vary from skirting congressional approval to wage warfare in opposition to Iran to the unprecedented boat strikes within the Caribbean and East Pacific seas — carry up excessive crimes, misdemeanors or treason.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) holds a press convention about his decision to question Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Nov. 9, 2026.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
The Home should take up the measure, since impeachment is a privileged matter, inside two legislative days — forcing Republicans to go on the file after struggling main losses within the 2026 midterm elections.
The Home plans to vote Tuesday afternoon on a procedural movement associated to Massie’s impeachment effort. The procedural movement might be a GOP-led movement to desk — which might successfully kill the hassle. It’s unclear if this transfer will probably be profitable. A supply in Speaker Mike Johnson’s workplace says it’s unclear how that might play out procedurally.
One other path might be a movement to refer the decision to a committee. If the movement to check with committee prevails, the impeachment decision might die in committee — expiring on the finish of the 119th Congress on Jan. 3. That may reset the method, and Democrats must take up the hassle within the one hundred and twentieth Congress, in the event that they select.
Johnson has voiced opposition to Massie’s impeachment articles and mentioned he believes Republicans will “defeat” the impeachment effort.
“We’ll dispense with the impeachment gambit,” Johnson mentioned Tuesday afternoon.
After the articles of impeachment have been launched on Monday, Trump said throughout a press briefing that Hegseth has “gained the warfare in Iran.” Hegseth equally declared victory throughout an April press convention.
“He actually, I feel, he is gained the warfare in Iran, however he is actually profitable the warfare,” Trump mentioned of Hegseth. “Iran would like to make a deal. They usually’ve been obliterated, their navy and their air drive.”
Secretary of Conflict Pete Hegseth speaks throughout a information convention on the Pentagon, November 10, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Hegseth on Tuesday sought to align his potential impeachment to Trump’s, successfully framing it as a sequel.
“You see, we have seen this present earlier than,” Hegseth mentioned, later including, “each occasions they failed” in impeaching Trump.
“Each occasions he got here again stronger, and the American folks despatched him again to the White Home,” he added. “Now they’re making an attempt a 3rd time. This time in opposition to a member of his Cupboard.”
Trump in a submit on his social media web site mentioned that Hegseth will get an “A plus, plus, plus for his protection in opposition to” Massie.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who spoke in Paris shortly after Hegseth’s Pentagon briefing, supplied his personal protection of Hegseth. He was requested about Hegseth’s Division of Protection finishing up orders to take navy motion in opposition to Iran and in opposition to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, together with the strikes on alleged drug boats and the U.S. seize of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“Not solely did Pete execute on a direct order from the commander-in-chief, who in our structure is empowered and trusted with the job of protecting People protected, however they did it fairly successfully in all these fronts,” Rubio mentioned.
