US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to hold his first Pentagon news conference since May as he faces an impeachment effort led by a member of his own party over his handling of the war against Iran and other military operations.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed an impeachment resolution in the House on Monday, according to The Times of Israel. The report said Hegseth’s planned appearance would be his first Pentagon news conference in six months.
Resolution focuses on the Iran war
Massie’s resolution focuses largely on the conflict with Iran, while also referring to Hegseth’s role in military operations against the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen and actions involving Venezuela.
Massie alleged that Hegseth’s actions amounted to “high crimes and misdemeanors” and said his leadership at the Pentagon “warrants impeachment.” Those are the lawmaker’s allegations, rather than findings established by the filing of the resolution.
The Times of Israel reported that a House vote could come by midweek, but said the next steps were highly uncertain. The resolution’s introduction does not mean that the House has voted to impeach Hegseth or that he has been removed from office.
Hegseth prepares to defend his record
Hegseth has said the news conference would focus on the impeachment threat. He has also mounted a social media response, saying he is prepared to defend his actions and those of President Donald Trump against what he described as “politically motivated people,” the report said.
The planned briefing comes after months in which the US military continued intermittent operations against Iran and carried out fatal strikes on boats alleged to be involved in drug smuggling in Latin America.
Impeachment effort adds pressure after elections
The challenge follows Republican losses in last week’s midterm elections. The Times of Israel reported that many Republicans attributed at least part of those losses to the Iran war and its economic consequences.
Massie, who lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger, is now pressing the case against one of the administration’s most prominent officials. Whether his effort advances remains uncertain, with the scheduled briefing offering Hegseth an opportunity to respond publicly to the allegations.
