Pete Hegseth rejects House impeachment push over Iran war as a stunt

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed a congressional push to remove him from office, calling the move a "farce" and a "stunt" during a news conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday.

The impeachment effort was brought by Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who is set to retire at the end of the year. Massie filed eight articles of impeachment targeting Hegseth over his role in the ongoing conflict with Iran and various military operations ordered by President Donald Trump. Massie alleged that the Pentagon chief conducted warfare without congressional authorization, a formal declaration of war, or any direct attack or imminent danger facing the nation.

Because the resolution was introduced as a privileged measure under House rules, Republican leadership in the House of Representatives must schedule a floor vote within two legislative days. Approval of the resolution requires a simple majority, which would trigger a trial in the Senate regarding Hegseth's potential removal. Lawmakers could alternatively vote by simple majority to table and effectively dismiss the measure.

Speaking to reporters, Hegseth described the maneuver as a "political spectacle" that undermines national security and projects vulnerability to foreign adversaries, characterizing the proceedings as "sabotage." He compared the campaign to the two previous impeachment trials faced by Trump during his first presidential administration, asserting that those attempts collapsed and that the current push against a member of the Cabinet would face the same outcome.

Trump quickly supported his Pentagon chief on social media, praising Hegseth's defense and sharply criticizing Massie.

Hegseth offered an optimistic assessment of the war effort, citing military initiatives targeting suspected narcotics vessels in Latin America and an operation involving Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces American criminal charges that he denies.

However, the war with Iran has entered its ninth month, stretching far past early expectations from Trump that it would be resolved within four to six weeks. According to reporting by NBC News, lawmakers in both major parties have voiced growing dissatisfaction with the level of detail provided by Hegseth regarding the financial toll of the conflict, which may reach $100 billion as the department awaits formal budget approvals.

The hostilities have coincided with severe domestic political friction. Republicans suffered major losses in the recent midterm elections amid public frustration over rising consumer prices, fuel expenses, and the protracted conflict. NBC News also reported that the U.S. military recently withdrew aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom after elevated threat levels prompted tighter security measures.