Hegseth vows to fight impeachment as he defends Iran war
The defense secretary called the effort a “sham” and urged lawmakers to fund the Pentagon, as Democrats prepare investigations after their midterm gains.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed in a video message on November 5 to fight congressional efforts to impeach him and defended the Iran war, as lawmakers and administration figures debated the conflict’s political costs after the midterm elections. Reuters reported that Hegseth called impeachment a “sham” and described the war as “courageous and historic.”
What Hegseth said in his video
Hegseth also appealed to lawmakers to pass a Pentagon funding request covering the war and other priorities. He argued that the United States needed to rebuild its military regardless of how people felt about the conflict, which he said would ensure Iran never got nuclear weapons. Those were Hegseth’s stated reasons for continuing the war, not an independently established assessment of its effects.
The message came as Republicans faced criticism over the war following their midterm losses. Reuters reported that Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the conflict had cost Republicans control of Congress and questioned whether it was worth it. AFP, in a report carried by TheJournal.ie, said President Donald Trump described that claim as “largely true,” while praising Hegseth’s performance when asked about replacing him.
Congressional scrutiny and funding pressure
Democrats won control of Congress in the elections and have promised investigations into Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon, Reuters reported. Republican Representative Thomas Massie said he would reintroduce articles of impeachment the following week. Massie warned that Democrats would hold hearings and trials after they take control next year; those actions remain planned, not completed.
AFP reported that Democrats’ new majorities would give them opportunities to investigate and curb Defense Department and war funding. Representative Jason Crow said he was going after Hegseth, while Adam Smith, expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee, said vigorous oversight would be a priority. The competing positions put scrutiny of the war and Pentagon leadership alongside the administration’s request for funding.
The Defense Department said Hegseth was “100 percent committed” to leading the Pentagon until the end of Trump’s term, Reuters reported. The reports describe political pressure and proposed congressional action; the eventual course of any impeachment effort, investigations or funding decisions has not been established.
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Sources and context
- Hegseth vows to keep fighting from Pentagon, defends Iran warReuters, republished by The Straits Times
- US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth under growing pressure after bruising midterm election resultsAFP, republished by TheJournal.ie
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.