Defiant Hegseth Calls Massie’s Impeachment Push a ‘Farce’

A defiant secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, is calling Congressman Thomas Massie’s attempt to have him impeached a farce and an attack on the troops.“What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight and it is not accountability,” Mr. Hegseth said Tuesday at a rare Pentagon press conference. “It’s a political spectacle, a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment,” he added.Mr. Hegseth says Mr. Massie’s beef is over policy and does not meet the threshold of an impeachable offense. The defense secretary said the impeachment vote sends a bad message to America’s enemies that someone carrying out lawful military operations could be punished. “This is sabotage,” Mr. Hegseth said.Mr. Massie filed eight charges against Mr. Hegseth on Monday claiming he violated the Constitution in his actions in carrying out the war with Iran. The charges also cover deadly military attacks on alleged drug boats in the waters of the Caribbean. A procedural vote could come as early as 5:30 p.m. ET on whether the resolution can proceed to debate. The Republican majority could kill the resolution or refer it to a committee.Mr. Hegseth denied allegations that the American military targeted civilians under his watch. “I will dignify this claim no further,” Mr. Hegseth said.After a long introductory statement, Mr. Hegseth took only a few questions from the press. He did not directly answer a question about Vice President JD Vance blaming the war for Republican losses during the midterm election. “It was done for the right reasons, to make sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon,” Mr. Hegseth said.The nearly 30-minute press conference was the first that Mr. Hegseth held since May in the early weeks of the Iran war.President Trump has stood by Mr. Hegseth has said he has no plans to ask for his resignation. “Pete Hegseth gets an ‘A’ PLUS, PLUS, PLUS for his defense against a disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman, Thomas Massie, a TOTAL LOSER!” Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post after the press conference.Mr. Massie, a libertarian-aligned lawmaker from Kentucky, has regularly tangled with Mr. Trump. He lost his Republican primary in May after Mr. Trump threw his support behind the congressman’s opponent, Navy SEAL and farmer Ed Gallrein. Mr. Gallrein won the general election handily over Democrat Melissa Claire Strange.Even if the House does vote to impeach Mr. Hegseth, it’s a long shot that the Senate would launch a trial before the session is over. The next Congress would have to redo the process in January.

Defiant Hegseth Calls Massie’s Impeachment Push a ‘Farce’

Defiant Hegseth Calls Massie’s Impeachment Push a ‘Farce’

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