Hegseth Calls Impeachment a 'Farce' at Pentagon Press Conference as House Vote Looms Wednesday

Since Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., filed eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday, Nov. 9, Hegseth has answered in person. At a rare Pentagon news conference today, Nov. 10, he called the effort a "farce" and rejected the idea that he committed any impeachable offense.

The House is set to vote as soon as Wednesday, Nov. 11. A procedural vote was expected later Tuesday. Under House rules, the vote on Massie's privileged resolution must happen no later than Wednesday.

Hegseth's response

Hegseth framed the resolution as an attack on the troops, not on him. "Let's be clear about what this resolution actually does. It tells our enemies — Iran, the cartels, every adversary watching — that the United States will actually punish its own warriors and its own civilian leadership for successfully executing lawful military operations," he said.

He called Massie a "disgruntled and defeated congressman" staging a "political spectacle" driven by ego and resentment. "It's a farce and it's a stunt and everybody knows it," Hegseth said. He compared himself to President Trump, who was impeached twice in his first term.

Massie did lose his May primary to a Trump-backed challenger and is leaving Congress. Those are facts about the messenger. The articles themselves rest on specific allegations about specific actions.

What Massie alleges

Massie's resolution accuses Hegseth of "high crimes and misdemeanors." Three articles deal with waging war on Iran without congressional authorization. One alleges systematic violation of laws meant to minimize civilian casualties, citing the killing of more than 100 children at a school in Iran. One alleges extrajudicial killings in ordering suspected drug boats sunk in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific with crews left without rescue. One concerns the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without congressional approval.

The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war. That is the legal core of the Iran articles. Hegseth's position is that the operations were lawful and successful.

Massie argued from the House floor that Hegseth "has executed unlawful orders." He first filed articles on Sept. 15, but Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House into recess before they could be heard.

The politics

Republicans control the House until new members are seated in January. Democrats, along with some Republicans, are expected to back the articles, which raises the possibility they pass and trigger a Senate trial.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, widely expected to become speaker, said he is a "hard yes." "Hegseth has got to go," Jeffries told ABC News on Sunday.

Trump has said he will stand by Hegseth even if he is impeached. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have both attributed last week's Republican midterm losses to the Iran war and its effect on household budgets. Trump has said there is no need for further strikes on Iran while talks continue.

Hegseth released a short video on Thursday calling the impeachment threat "all about the politics of personal destruction" and saying it "won't work with me." The watchdog groups Common Cause and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington argue the video violates the Hatch Act, which bars use of government funds for partisan political purposes. Neither the Pentagon nor Hegseth has been reported to have responded to that specific claim. No investigation has been announced.

On Monday, Hegseth was at the Naval War College announcing changes to military education. He said they would let officers "wage war with such devastating speed, precision and lethality that no adversary dares test" the United States.

Who he is

Hegseth is 46, a former Fox News personality who narrowly won Senate confirmation last year. He renamed the Defense Department the "Department of War," removed numerous senior officers, and tried to push critical outlets out of the Pentagon.

What comes next

The House vote is expected as early as Wednesday, Nov. 11. Impeachment requires only a simple House majority. Conviction in the Senate requires a two-thirds vote, and the Senate outcome is unclear. Whether enough House Republicans cross Johnson and Trump to pass the articles is the open question.