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Pete Hegseth showed a defiant attitude and venomous rhetoric at the Pentagon this Tuesday during his first press conference in six months, at a time when the US Secretary of Defense is under great pressure.
Much of his anger was directed at Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who has filed a motion for his impeachment.
Hegseth disqualified him, calling him a "disgruntled and defeated congressman" leading a "farce" and a "publicity stunt."
In many ways, however, this press conference had only one addressee: President Donald Trump.
A show of loyalty to Trump
Time and time again, Hegseth linked his own destiny to that of the president.
He claimed that military operations in Iran and Venezuela — now at the center of the impeachment process — were "ordered by the commander in chief and, subsequently, by myself."
He added that if staying by the president's side put him in the spotlight, he would "take that company any day of the week."
This posture attracts attention.
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Hegseth has repeatedly echoed the president's rhetoric and public statements, something he demonstrated again this Tuesday: he attacked the media, denounced his political enemies and even used the same words that Trump himself uses.
Referring to the impeachment trial against Trump in 2019 — following a telephone conversation with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky — Hegseth called that conversation a "perfect phone call," the same expression that the president has used when addressing this matter.
However, beyond his defiant attitude and his public displays of loyalty to Trump, Hegseth now finds himself in a much more vulnerable position. He is, in reality, fighting for his political survival.
Republicans just lost both houses of Congress in the midterm elections. According to polls, the war in Iran—and its impact on voters' wallets—was the main cause of voter discontent.
For his part, Vice President JD Vance has stated bluntly that the war is the reason the Republicans lost.
When asked this morning about the political consequences of the conflict and Vance's comments, Hegseth avoided openly disagreeing with the vice president.
However, he noted that the war was "not necessarily popular" although it was "necessary," perhaps the closest he has come to admitting that American public opinion has turned against this initiative.
Trump's dilemma
All of this places the president in an impossible dilemma.
If he decides to keep his defense secretary, he risks giving the impression that he has not gotten the message from voters.
If he is removed, it could be interpreted as an admission that the war with Iran has become a damaging domestic political liability.
Whether as a head to roll or a scapegoat—call it what you will—a sacrifice may be necessary for Trump to turn the page.
Even the appointment of Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff is less reassuring than it might seem.
Miller and Hegseth are close allies; in fact, just today Hegseth called Miller an "incredible American patriot."
However, Miller reportedly got the job after arguing that the White House should end the war with Iran, thus establishing a clear distance between the Pentagon and the president.
Hegseth has the president's backing for now, but as everyone in Washington knows, a resounding support from Trump can fade in the blink of an eye if a sacrifice becomes necessary.
On Tuesday, the focus will be on votes in Congress as impeachment proceedings against Hegseth begin.
But in reality, it is likely to be the president's own judgment that will ultimately determine Hegseth's political fate.
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