Hegseth vows to stay at Pentagon and fight impeachment, defending Iran war in video

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a video posted on Thursday that he will remain at the Pentagon and fight efforts in Congress to impeach him, Reuters reported. He also defended the Iran war as “courageous and historic”, two days after voters punished Republicans in the midterm elections.

In the message, which ran for more than four minutes, Hegseth called the impeachment push a “sham” and noted that President Donald Trump was himself impeached twice. “It’s all about the politics of personal destruction,” he said, adding that the tactic failed against Trump and would fail against him. He argued that critics were attacking him because his team was effective, and said: “We will not back down.” He pointed to his dismissal of senior Pentagon leaders, the end of diversity initiatives and the ban on transgender people serving in the military.

Pressure from Congress

Republican Representative Thomas Massie said he would reintroduce articles of impeachment next week. He warned that this would be “much gentler” than what Hegseth faces once Democrats take control of Congress next year. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries asked on social media why Hegseth was “still around”.

According to Reuters, Democrats, who won Congress on Tuesday, have promised to investigate Hegseth’s running of the Pentagon. Congressional aides said this would include the firing of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Representative Adam Smith, expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee, promised vigorous oversight on matters from the Iran war to what he called the erosion of the armed forces’ apolitical foundation.

Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the Iran war cost Republicans control of Congress and publicly questioned whether it was worth it. Republican Senator Thom Tillis told CBS News that Hegseth has “a reckoning” coming. He said the defense chief’s strained relations with lawmakers were undermining the administration’s push for a $1.5 trillion defense spending package.

Trump’s backing

Asked in the Oval Office about possible staffing changes, Trump said Hegseth had “done a fantastic job”. He suggested the opposition stemmed from the firing of generals, many of whom he called “woke”. Trump also praised Hegseth’s role in operations in Venezuela and Iran, saying that after seven months in Iran the United States controls everything it wanted to control.

Reuters noted that sources have said Trump could still replace Hegseth while Republicans assess their losses, and one Trump adviser said he “could be on the chopping block” because of the war. The Defense Department says Hegseth is “100 percent committed” to leading the Pentagon until the end of Trump’s term.

Hegseth also appealed to “patriotic” lawmakers to approve a funding request meant to help pay for the Iran war and other priorities. Whatever people think of the war, he said, it will ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons.

On Polymarket, traders put the chance that Hegseth is out as defense secretary by December 31 at 43%, against 45% a day earlier and 29% a week ago.

What happens next

Massie’s new impeachment articles are expected next week, and Democrats will gain the power to hold hearings once they take over Congress. Reuters said Hegseth could also face scrutiny over Ukraine policy and over US strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in Latin American waters, which some Democrats say may amount to war crimes. Whether Trump keeps him as Republicans weigh their election losses remains unclear.