Hegseth dismisses impeachment push as political attack, predicts failure

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended himself against House impeachment efforts, framing the push as part of a Democratic campaign against President Donald Trump and predicting it will fail like Trump's previous impeachments. Hegseth dismissed the charges, led by outgoing Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, as a policy dispute and an attack on troops, citing military operations he said were legally ordered. The articles accuse him of unauthorized war with Iran, extrajudicial killings in Caribbean strikes, and involvement in kidnapping former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The House must act on the resolution by Wednesday, with a procedural motion possible Tuesday. Critics online rejected Hegseth's defense, with some comparing it to Nuremberg defenses and urging accountability for war crimes.