US President Donald Trump spoke out against efforts to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and said he was “guilty” only of winning two wars.
“When you talk about Pete Hegseth, he is guilty of two things — essentially, of winning two wars. In the second war, we destroyed their nuclear capabilities and probably saved Israel, and perhaps the entire Middle East as well,” Trump told reporters on November 8.
The president identified the two wars as US military operations in Venezuela and Iran. According to him, the operation in Venezuela ended in 48 minutes, while the conflict with Iran has been won, although its final conclusion is still pending. The claim that Iran’s nuclear capabilities were destroyed is Trump’s position, not an independently confirmed fact in his statement.
The resolution contains eight articles
Pressure on Hegseth intensified after the US midterm elections, in which Democrats won majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate that will take effect in January. The impeachment resolution was introduced by Republican Thomas Massie, one of the administration’s sharpest critics of its military policy.
The document contains eight articles. The allegations include violating the War Powers Act of 1973 by continuing the war with Iran without specific authorization from Congress, disregarding rules intended to limit civilian casualties, and abuse of power.
Massie also includes allegations of an illegal operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, airstrikes in Yemen, and actions against Senator Mark Kelly over his public statements. These are allegations set out in the resolution, not established judicial facts.
The House could vote this week
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told ABC News that he supports impeachment. “I am unequivocally for the resolution. Pete Hegseth needs to go,” Jeffries said, accusing the secretary of abusing his power and waging a “reckless and costly war” with Iran.
The resolution has a special procedural status that allows it to be brought to a vote without the usual waiting period. According to Axios, the House could consider the measure as early as this week, but it is unclear whether the necessary votes will be secured, as Republicans still control the lower chamber until the end of the year.
The Pentagon rejects the allegations. Spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth would not back down before “politicians seeking partisan points” and that the department had acted in accordance with the law.
Even if the House approves impeachment, Hegseth’s removal would require a two-thirds majority conviction in the Senate. This makes his eventual removal more difficult, although Democrats will take control of both chambers in January.
Sources: apnews.com, axios.com, en.apa.az