Facing Impeachment, Pete Hegseth Makes A "Punish Own Warriors" Remark

The resolution against Pete Hegseth was brought in by outgoing Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie on Monday.

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• United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth opposed impeachment efforts against him
• Hegseth stated no Secretary of War has been impeached for lawful military operations
• The impeachment threat comes from outgoing Republican Thomas Massie over Iran war handling

Can Hegseth be removed before the new Congress starts?

United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth contested the impeachment effort against him and said that it tells the US' enemies that the country "punishes its own warriors". 

He said in his first media briefing since May that “in the 250 years of our American republic, no Secretary of War or Secretary of Defense has ever been impeached for carrying out lawful military operations" as he pushed back against impeachment threat initiated by outgoing Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie. 

Hegseth is facing impeachment threat over his handeling of the the US' ongoing war with Iran. 

The resolution, filed by Kentucky's Massie who lost his primary to an opponent backed by US President Donald Trump, has set the stage for a vote to remove Hegseth from the Trump administration after Republicans faced a crushing defeat in recently held midterm elections. 

Targeting Massie, Hegseth said on Tuesday that that the move against him was being led by "disgruntled and defeated" Congressman over "policy disagreements". 

"It's a political spectacle, a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment. Time for one man's final days in Congress to try to do damage to this president. It's a farce, and it's a stunt, and everybody knows it," Hegseth said. 

Justifying the US' war against Iran, that has received much flak globally and has costed the Republicans heavily, Hegseth said that "history will judge the Iran war quite differently than conventional wisdom right now".

"We didn't start this war. Iran did 47 years ago," he said. 

Got a follow‑up question on this article? Go on

• How are other Republican lawmakers reacting to the proposed impeachment?
• What specific military actions in Iran sparked the push for impeachment?
• What happens next in the House regarding this impeachment vote?

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