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Hegseth discusses impeachment push in morning presser
Tuesday morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed Rep. Thomas Massie's impeachment push against him, calling it a "circus".
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave his first news conference from the Pentagon in six months on Tuesday, just a day after a Republican lawmaker launched an effort to impeach him over his handling of the unpopular war against Iran and other actions.
What they're saying:
"What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight, it's not accountability. It's a political spectacle, a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment," Hegseth said in a Tuesday morning conference. "Time for one man's final days in Congress to try to do damage to this president, this country and most irresponsibly, the warriors who defend it."
"Put the secretary on trial today, and the men and women who carried out those orders tomorrow," he said. "If they want to come for the warriors, they're going to have to come through me.
"As for the articles themselves," he continued, "Iran, the cartels, Maduro, Yemen, everyone was a lawful operation ordered by the commander in chief, then ordered by myself, notified to Congress and executed by American warriors who did their jobs.
"We destroyed terror regimes' capabilities. We sank the boats carrying poison into our communities. We put a narco dictator in handcuffs. These are not high crimes. This is the job, and it's the job well done."
Secretary of Defense War Pete Hegseth speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon on November 10, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The backstory:
The Kentucky Republican’s resolution includes eight allegations spanning the way that Hegseth has managed the Iran war, the kidnapping of Venezuela’s then-President Nicolas Maduro, the launch of attacks in Yemen, and the alleged suppression of free speech. Massie alleges that Hegseth’s actions meet the bar of "high crimes and misdemeanors."
President Trump has defended Hegseth against Massie's impeachment effort, calling the outgoing Kentucky lawmaker "a total loser" adding that Hegseth "should be praised, not impeached."
RELATED: Hegseth impeachment vote looms in the House
What's next:
A House vote could come as early as this week, though the next steps remain uncertain. Impeachment by the House would bring charges against Hegseth; removing him from office would require a conviction in the Senate.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by previous reports by Fox Local and Fox News Digital. This story was reported from Orlando.