Thomas Massie has accused US defense secretary of illegally waging war without congressional authorization and abusing his powers
Pete Hegseth has dismissed a bid to impeach him as a “political spectacle”, accusing the Republican lawmaker who moved to force a vote of trying to stage a “show trial”.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the US defense secretary – accused of illegally waging war without congressional authorization, and abusing his powers – claimed he was simply being pursued by political opponents of Donald Trump.
“It’s a farce, and it’s a stunt, and everybody knows it,” he declared.
It comes after Thomas Massie, a Republican of Kentucky, introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday. Massie is an outgoing congressman, after losing to a Trump-backed rival in the Republican primary for his seat earlier this year
The move “puts a target on the back of American warriors”, Hegseth argued on Tuesday. “This is not patriotism,” he said. “This is sabotage.”
The House is expected to take up the resolution Tuesday evening, likely after first holding a procedural vote to table the measure. Because Massie filed it as a privileged resolution, the House must act within two legislative days.
Massie’s 34-page resolution, which he read aloud on the House floor, centers on the Iran war. Three of the articles cite the 1973 War Powers Resolution, and the first charges Hegseth with proceeding without a declaration of war, statutory authorization, an attack on the US or an imminent threat. Other articles concern the Yemen strikes, his treatment of Democratic senator Mark Kelly and “ignoring laws that minimize civilian casualties”.
Hegseth said the effort lacked support among Republicans. He claimed a “ton of support” on Capitol Hill, saying his team had worked with House speaker Mike Johnson, and described Massie as “one disgruntled guy”. Johnson himself called the effort a “stunt” in September, when he sent the House home early for the midterm recess, staving off a vote.
But the political ground has shifted since the 3 November midterms. Several House Republicans told Fox News privately that they believe the impeachment could pass, citing a mix of resentment toward Hegseth and absences among members who lost their seats.
The Republican majority stands at a razor-thin 218-214, and only members present in Washington can vote. On Monday night, the tally showed 399 total votes made by lawmakers, with a majority coming from Democrats.
The House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, has declared himself a “hard yes”, and no Democrat appears likely to vote against Hegseth’s impeachment. Massie said he expects “several” Republicans to join Democrats, though most Republicans are still expected to oppose the move. In September, the House voted 220-204 to end Trump’s war in Iran, with seven Republicans joining Democrats.
Hegseth said the articles targeted not just him but the troops who carried out his orders. “Put the secretary on trial today, and the men and women who carried out those orders tomorrow,” he said. Every operation the articles cite, he insisted, including strikes on Iran and Yemen, attacks on alleged drug boats and the capture of Venezuela’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro, was lawful, ordered by Trump and notified to Congress.
He said the US military does not target civilians, calling the allegation a “lie” and “slander”. He cast the effort as a partisan attack on a successful record: “no failure here, just impeachment for success”.
If the House impeaches Hegseth, he would be the third cabinet secretary in history to be impeached, and the case would go to the Senate for a trial. Conviction would require a two-thirds majority. Massie has noted the articles survive into the next Congress, when Democrats will control the Senate, and has said a trial might not begin until 2027.
Hegseth said his priority in the lame-duck period that remains for the Trump administration through 2028 was securing “350 billion at a minimum” in defense funding through reconciliation.
He called the impeachment effort a “circus” and closed his remarks on Tuesday with a message to troops: “Don’t blink, ignore the noise, never hesitate. This is all politics.”
