Hegseth to hold Pentagon briefing amid renewed impeachment bid, Iran conflict
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will hold a rare Pentagon news briefing Tuesday morning, as lawmakers are expected to vote on his impeachment this week.
The briefing, set for 8 a.m. ET, comes one day after Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced updated articles of impeachment against Hegseth. The resolution accuses Hegseth of abusing his office by launching the Iran war without congressional approval, ignoring laws designed to minimize civilian casualties and retaliating against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, among other allegations. Under House rules, the chamber has two legislative days to schedule a vote.
Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has criticized Hegseth for months. But his renewed impeachment push follows Republicans' sweeping defeats in the midterms, which members of both parties blamed on the Iran war and soaring energy prices. The war's status is unclear: President Trump said Monday he plans to maintain the "status quo" and doesn't believe escalating the war will be necessary.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents New York, said Monday afternoon he's a "hard yes" on the impeachment resolution, telling reporters Hegseth "abused his power" and is the "architect of the reckless and costly failed war of choice in Iran."
It remains to be seen whether Republicans other than Massie will vote in favor of the articles of impeachment. Massie said Monday afternoon he did not have a commitment from any other Republicans that they would support it.
Until Democrats take control of the House in January, any impeachment effort would need support from at least three Republicans — if all Democrats vote in favor and depending on any absences. Removing Hegseth from office by convicting him in the Senate is a much heavier lift, requiring more than a dozen Republicans to join the effort.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told CBS News "impeaching a Cabinet secretary right now … in the middle of hostilities abroad would be a terrible, terrible look."
Other Republicans have not definitively ruled it out. Rep. French Hill of Arkansas said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" over the weekend: "I want to hear the debate on it to see if it merits impeachment versus some other disciplinary action or action by the president if he's not getting the job done in leading the Department of War."
Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, a moderate who is retiring in January, said Monday he's "wrestling" with the issue, telling reporters, "I don't think he's been a good secretary, but do you impeach a guy for that?"
Asked by reporters about the impeachment bid, Hegseth said Monday, "We're not worried about that." He said Tuesday's news conference would focus on the impeachment.
In a social media video last week, Hegseth criticized Massie, who is leaving Congress in January after losing his primary to a Trump-backed challenger.
"A disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies, has also dropped sham articles of impeachment against yours truly, just like they tried against President Trump twice," Hegseth said in the video.
Mr. Trump told reporters Monday he will stand by Hegseth if he's impeached, defending his Pentagon chief and calling Massie a "stone-cold loser."
"What has Hegseth done?" he said. "Pete Hegseth won two wars. 'Oh, let's impeach him.'"
Massie said Monday: "I would like to see him go through the eight articles of impeachment. Just make the argument from a podium. You can use notes. Get the lawyers to help you. Tell us why you are not guilty of each of these eight articles of impeachment."