Defense Secretary Hegseth Calls Impeachment Effort a Farce Ahead of House Vote

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the move to impeach him as a "farce" during a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, hours before a House vote that will determine whether the articles advance. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, thanked President Donald Trump for his support and said he would be pleased to join Trump, who was impeached twice, in the "company" of former impeachments.

The impeachment resolution lists eight articles alleging "high crimes and misdemeanors," ranging from the ongoing Iran war to the January raid that sought to depose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Representative Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who introduced the articles, said a procedural vote on Tuesday could lead to a full debate and vote on the articles. In contrast, Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, announced he would oppose impeachment.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Hegseth has "abused his power, undermined America's national security, and is the architect of the reckless and costly failed war of choice in Iran." Hegseth countered that the war has weakened Iran's military and that his orders were lawful, adding that history will judge the conflict differently than current public opinion.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found a majority of Americans want the newly Democratic-controlled Congress to act to end the Iran war. Vice President JD Vance, while questioning the war, expressed support for Hegseth, writing on X that the issue is Hegseth's challenge to Pentagon bureaucracy.

Trump posted on Truth Social after the briefing, praising Hegseth’s defense. If the impeachment proceeds, Hegseth would become the first U.S. defense secretary to be impeached; the last civilian military leader impeached was Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876.

Republicans expressed concern that Hegseth’s strained relations with Congress could hinder the administration’s request for a $1.5 trillion defense budget, up from the current $950 billion. Hegseth urged Republicans to focus on delivering benefits to the American people rather than pursuing impeachment. Democrats have pledged to investigate Hegseth’s handling of the Pentagon, including the dismissal of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior officers.