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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has dismissed efforts to impeach him, calling them a "sham" orchestrated by a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" and his Democratic allies. This response came in a video posted on X, following Kentucky GOP Representative Thomas Massie's announcement of plans to introduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth. Massie, who lost his primary earlier this year, has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and blames Hegseth for the unpopular war in Iran, which some Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance, have cited as a reason for the party's midterm election losses.
Massie stated on X that he would not proceed with the impeachment articles if Hegseth resigns. He previously introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September, but the House did not vote on them after Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned the chamber early ahead of the midterms. According to Forbes, Massie plans to force a House vote on the matter when lawmakers return to Washington.
The impeachment efforts are expected to gain support from several Democrats and some Republicans who have lost confidence in Hegseth's handling of the Iran war, as reported by Al-Monitor. However, the process requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate to convict and remove a public official from office, a threshold that has never been met for a Cabinet member.
President Trump has expressed support for Hegseth, stating that he is doing a "very good job" and dismissing reports of considering his removal. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell reiterated that Hegseth is "100% committed" to his role until the end of Trump's term, despite the political pressure.