US congressman files resolution to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth

United States Republican Representative Thomas Massie has introduced a resolution to impeach US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war on Iran, strikes on purported drug boats and other alleged violations of US laws. Reading from the text of the resolution in the House of Representatives on Monday, the outgoing Kentucky lawmaker accused Hegseth of carrying out unlawful orders and posing a threat to the Constitution. Democratic Party leaders have pledged to investigate US President Donald Trump’s administration in Congress following their landslide victories in both chambers. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson avoided a vote in the Republican-led Congress at the time by sending lawmakers home early. In a news conference on Monday, Massie said he would welcome votes from any lawmakers who want Hegseth removed, even if they have not read the details of his bill. “I understand that some of them just want to vote for this because they just want to see Hegseth gone,” he said. “I welcome their vote.” He urged the defense secretary to resign before Democrats take control of Congress in January, predicting their investigations will include testimony from senior administration officials on how the Defense Department has been run under Hegseth. Hegseth remained defiant, saying he welcomes the opportunity to defend his actions in Congress. “There’s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,” Hegseth told reporters on Monday. “If we want to litigate” the military actions that the Trump administration has taken, he added, “I’m happy to do it all day long.” He is expected to hold a news conference on Tuesday. Two-thirds of the Senate’s 100 lawmakers would then need to vote to remove him. While the measure is unlikely to succeed in the current Republican-led Congress, pressure is likely to mount on Hegseth when a new set of Democratic lawmakers, who won a sweeping victory in the midterm elections, are sworn into office in January. Although Democrats will hold the majority in the Senate, they are expected to have about 54 seats in the upper chamber of Congress – short of the 67 votes needed to convict and remove Hegseth. And it’s awfully hard to say let’s impeach somebody who did that.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio also defended Hegseth, saying he has “done a good job” despite widespread criticism.