US Defense Secretary Rejects Impeachment Effort as Partisan Sabotage

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has strongly condemned impeachment resolutions filed against him, dismissing the congressional effort as a political farce and an act of sabotage. Speaking at a Pentagon news briefing on Tuesday, Hegseth defended his execution of military operations and characterised the mounting criticism as partisan policy disputes rather than impeachable offenses.

The impeachment articles were reintroduced on Monday by Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Massie alleged that Hegseth had committed high crimes and misdemeanours, abused the power of his office by violating the War Powers Resolution, conducted military operations without congressional authorisation, and ordered unlawful military actions across several nations, including the war on Iran and strikes on alleged drug boats.

Addressing reporters at his first Pentagon press conference in nearly six months, Hegseth maintained that the proper remedy for a policy disagreement is legislation rather than removal from office. He defended military actions under his tenure, noting that approximately 18 service members had been lost during the conflict involving Iran, compared to higher casualties in historical conflicts such as Vietnam and Korea. Hegseth also defended the lawfulness of strikes on purported drug boats, stating they protected the US against narcotraffickers, and asserted that former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was brought to justice rather than kidnapped.

The expected impeachment filing coincided with the return of Congress to Washington, D.C., for a lame-duck session following midterm elections in which the Republican party lost control of the House. Hegseth has faced intense political backlash over the costly war with Iran, which some Republicans have blamed in part for the party's electoral losses.

President Donald Trump offered firm support for Hegseth, stating in a Truth Social post that the Pentagon chief should be praised rather than impeached. In a previous press conference, Trump asserted that he would stand by Hegseth and criticised Representative Massie.