Hegseth defends Iran war record as impeachment pressure builds
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a rare press conference Tuesday to denounce impeachment articles filed by Rep. Thomas Massie as a "farce," defending his actions in the Iran war and praising President Trump amid political fallout. Hegseth, who avoided press briefings for nearly six months, faces eight impeachment articles including waging unauthorized war against Iran, illegal strikes in Yemen and the Caribbean, and retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly. He dismissed the charges as policy disagreements, not high crimes. The appearance was widely seen as an appeal to Trump, who has stuck by Hegseth but faces speculation he could scapegoat him for Republican midterm losses. Hegseth praised Trump allies like Stephen Miller and avoided criticizing Vice President JD Vance.