Trump commits to keeping Hegseth in Pentagon role amid $34-page impeachment push
The President defended his Defense Secretary while Rep. Thomas Massie prepared to reintroduce a resolution seeking removal.
By Lorenzo Marshall ·
President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that he intends to retain Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary. This decision comes as Republican Representative Thomas Massie prepares to reintroduce an impeachment resolution against the Pentagon chief. Massie plans to introduce the measure on Monday or Tuesday, stating he believes enough Republican colleagues will defect to support its passage.
The resolution outlines eight articles of impeachment. Massie read the 34-page document aloud on the House floor for more than 67 minutes in September. The text alleges that Hegseth acted contrary to his trust and subversive of constitutional government. It argues that Hegseth remains a threat to civilians and the laws of war if he stays in office. The document concludes that Hegseth warrants impeachment, removal from office, and disqualification from holding future federal positions.
Trump characterized Massie as a very bad guy during his remarks on Thursday. The President said Massie is destructive. This follows a period where the impeachment effort stalled after Speaker Mike Johnson canceled remaining floor votes before the midterm recess. Trump also noted that he receives frequent calls from individuals unhappy with Hegseth. He said he does not understand why those calls are arriving.
Speculation persists that Hegseth may seek to fill the soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat in Tennessee currently held by Marsha Blackburn. Trump predicted that the defense secretary would be very popular in that state. The President acknowledged that the war with Iran contributed to Republican losses in the recent midterms. He also conceded that confirming a replacement for Hegseth would be easier before Democrats take over in January. Democrats have said they plan to use their new congressional majority to investigate Hegseth.
The President expects to host Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the White House in the future. He has not yet spoken with either leader. Trump said other Democrats have called him recently. He described having friends among the opposition party and stated that getting along is good for the country.
