USAupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 27 January 2025Pete Hegseth Dismisses Democrats’ Impeachment Push, Says It Won’t Work
6 Western Mainstream2 AsianPhoto: U.S. Department of Defense / US federal government, Public domain · Cropped for layout
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Hegseth dismisses impeachment as political theater and defends Pentagon overhaul. He demands at least $350 billion for defense funding.
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Impeachment push revived
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed a renewed effort in the House to bring articles of impeachment against him as early as next week, saying in a video that “A disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies, has also dropped sham articles of impeachment against yours truly.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said Wednesday that he plans to reintroduce articles of impeachment when the House is back in session, and NBC News said lawmakers are scheduled to return to Washington on Monday.
Hegseth also struck a defiant tone about the politics driving the effort, adding, “It’s all about the politics of personal destruction,” and he said, “Didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me.”
Trump told ABC News he intends to keep Hegseth in his Cabinet despite the impeachment push, and Trump said Thursday that Hegseth “has done a fantastic job” and “probably has opposition.”
Massie sets conditions
Massie urged Trump on Thursday to replace Hegseth while he still has a GOP majority in the Senate, and Massie wrote on X, “There is one contingency in which I won’t reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns.” Hegseth responded that the impeachment effort would “not work,” and he said in a Pentagon video uploaded on Thursday that “a disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies” have been submitting “sham” bills for his impeachment.
Hegseth also framed the fight as part of a broader defense push, telling Congress, “We need every vote from every patriotic member of Congress,” while urging approval of at least $350 billion in defense funding. Stars and Stripes said Democrats threatened to block $70 billion in emergency defense funding and the annual defense spending bill as long as the Iran war persists, and it said the conflict has continued for more than eight months.
What is at stake
The impeachment effort is tied to the Iran war and to Hegseth’s Pentagon leadership, with Stars and Stripes saying Massie criticized Hegseth for persuading Trump to join Israel in launching the Feb. 28 strikes on Iran that started the war.
“The conflict has continued for more than eight months.”
Stars and Stripes reported that the war has resulted in 11 U.S. combat deaths and 12 deaths classified as non-hostile, and it said more than 850 U.S. troops have been injured, according to Defense Department figures.
The same report said Democrats vow to use their new majorities to investigate the Trump administration’s actions, and it quoted Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., saying he will prioritize oversight of the Pentagon, with a focus on “going after the corruption, and going after the lack of transparency.”
NBC News said Hegseth dismissed the renewed impeachment effort even as it described a prior attempt in September that was stunted when House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sent the House home early, and it said the House has impeached only two Cabinet officials in history.
