Hegseth mocks impeachment bid as Massie targets return to Washington
The defense secretary called the effort political revenge, while the Kentucky representative urged President Trump to replace him before Democrats take control.
By Tomas Rahman ·
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spent Thursday dismissing a renewed push to impeach him, a move that comes as lawmakers prepare to return to Washington on Monday. The secretary posted a video to social media in which he described the effort as an attack driven by a
disgruntled, defeated congressman
and his Democratic allies. He compared the articles of impeachment to the two attempts made against President Donald Trump.
The threat stems from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who announced Wednesday that he intends to reintroduce his impeachment resolution once the House is back in session. Massie lost his Republican primary after crossing paths with Trump. In a post on X, he urged the president to replace Hegseth while Republicans still hold a majority in the Senate. Massie characterized his resolution as a gentler alternative to the hearings and trials he expects under a Democratic Congress.
Hegseth characterized the move as the politics of personal destruction in his video. He stated that the strategy failed against Trump and would not work against him. The five-minute clip focused primarily on the political maneuvering rather than the substantive issues. The Iran war served as a major driver for the impeachment effort, as did recent Republican losses in the midterm elections. Hegseth only briefly addressed the conflict in his remarks.
Massie set a specific condition for dropping the measure: Hegseth resigning. He wrote on Wednesday that this is the only contingency where he will not reintroduce the articles. Numerous Democrats have expressed a desire to remove Hegseth following their election wins. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who is expected to become the next speaker, has been among those indicating support for the move.
President Trump publicly stated on Wednesday that he does not plan to replace Hegseth. On Thursday, he described Hegseth as having done a fantastic job. Trump acknowledged that the secretary likely faces opposition over his actions, which included purging military leadership. Despite his public stance, two people familiar with the discussions told NBC News that Trump has asked some allies who he believes should succeed Hegseth.
Procedural hurdles remain for Massie. In September, he attempted to force a vote on impeachment, but Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sent the House home early, stalling the effort. For the measure to pass, Massie needs enough Republicans to join all Democrats in support. The House has impeached only two Cabinet officials in history. No Cabinet member has ever been convicted by the Senate.
