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By Ellie Cook
Senior Defense Reporter
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Pete Hegseth dismissed impeachment articles brought by a Republican congressman as a "farce" ahead of an expected vote in the House of Representatives later this week, which has raised fresh questions about the Defense Secretary's political future.
In a rare press conference, Hegseth told reporters on Tuesday the impeachment articles brought against him "mock the Constitution, they attack the chain of command, and they criminalize the warfighters who execute lawful orders."
Outgoing Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, who has been fiercely critical of Hegseth, reintroduced articles of impeachment against the Defense Secretary on Monday and said he would force a House vote on alleged violations of the U.S. constitution.
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Hegseth said the impeachment push signals to U.S. enemies, such as Iran and drug cartels based in Latin America, that the U.S. "will actually punish its own warriors and its own civilian leadership for successfully executing lawful military operations."
"This is not patriotism. This is sabotage," he said.
Hegseth previously called Massie a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" and described the impeachment move as a "sham."
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, vowed to stand by Hegseth, should he be impeached - posting on Truth Social that Massie is a "total loser".
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Massie brought 8 impeachment articles against Hegseth, three of which allege Hegseth has waged war against Iran in violation of the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which limits the White House's power to use the U.S. military in foreign wars without congressional approval.
Massie also alleges Hegseth had disregarded laws that keep civilian casualties to a minimum, suppressing free speech, and of ordering "extrajudicial killings" through the U.S.'s attacks on alleged drug boats in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. At least 240 people have been killed in these strikes since September 2025.
A further two articles accuse Hegseth of "kidnapping" a sovereign foreign leader, referring to the capture of Venezuela's former president, Nicolas Maduro, and directing an "unlawful war" in Yemen.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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