Donald Trump: ‘He won two wars’: Donald Trump rallies behind Hegseth amid impeachment push

FIle photo: US defense secretary Pete Hegseth alongside US President Donald Trump during an event

US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind defence secretary Pete Hegseth as Republican Representative Thomas Massie pushes for a House vote to impeach the Pentagon chief over his handling of the Iran war and other military operations.Trump attacked Massie during an unexpected appearance in the White House briefing room on Monday, hours after the Kentucky Republican filed eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth and read them aloud on the House floor.“Massie is a loser,” Trump said. “He shouldn’t be taking up the time of Congress or the Senate or anything that he’s doing.”The president also described Massie as a “stone cold loser” and said he would stand by Hegseth even if the House voted to impeach him.“Yeah, I’ll stand by,” Trump said. “He won two wars. He was in charge. We all won.”Trump defended Hegseth’s record, claiming that he had overseen successful military operations in Venezuela and Iran. The US operation in Venezuela led to the capture of former leader Nicolas Maduro in January, while the conflict with Iran is still ongoing.“Really, what has Hegseth done?” Trump said. “He won the war. He was in charge. He won the war in Venezuela, as I said, 48 minutes. It was flawless — nobody killed. And he certainly, I think, won the war in Iran.”Later, in a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Defeated Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, a total loser, is trying to Impeach perhaps the most popular and successful military official in the Country, Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. With recruitment at an ALL-TIME HIGH, from an all-time low under Sleepy Joe Biden, and TWO VICTORIES, Venezuela and Iran, Pete Hegseth should be praised, not Impeached. Congress, stand up for Pete!!!”The president’s remarks came as Hegseth faces growing criticism over his role in the administration’s military operations, including the war against Iran and strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean.

Why is Thomas Massie seeking Hegseth’s impeachment?

Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment accusing Hegseth of abusing his powers and carrying out unlawful military actions. The charges largely concern the Iran war but also refer to US operations in Yemen and Venezuela.Reading the resolution on the House floor, Massie accused Hegseth of having “knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders” and said he “remains a threat to the Constitution”.The articles also accuse the defence secretary of illegally launching the war against Iran and being responsible for civilian deaths in boat strikes targeting alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean, Politico reported.Hegseth has rejected the allegations. Last week, he described the impeachment effort as a sham by “a disgruntled defeated congressman along with all his Democrat allies”.Massie, who lost his Republican primary to a Trump-backed challenger earlier this year, has been among the party members openly questioning Hegseth’s handling of the conflict.Trump also took aim at Massie’s electoral defeat, saying he had backed a challenger who had never run for office before and beaten the incumbent easily. He accused the lawmaker of having “a lot of hatred in his heart”.During the exchange, Trump also criticised CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins when she pressed him on Massie’s allegations against Hegseth.“Massie’s a loser, just like you’re a loser at CNN, just like your ratings are a loser, Massie is a loser, stone cold loser,” he said.

House vote expected as political battle intensifies

A vote on the impeachment resolution could take place by mid-week, although its prospects remain uncertain.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has backed the measure, while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has also endorsed the impeachment push.“Hegseth must stand trial before the Senate,” Schumer said.If most Democrats support the resolution, Massie would need the backing of only a small number of Republicans to secure impeachment in the House.However, Republican leaders have expressed reservations about holding the vote while military operations abroad are continuing. House Speaker Mike Johnson said impeachment “in the middle of hostilities abroad would be a terrible, terrible look, a terrible thing for our allies and our enemies to see that”.Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he was unsure why the vote was being held at this stage, adding that the Senate would deal with the matter depending on the House’s decision.If the House impeaches Hegseth, the Senate would have to decide whether to dismiss the charges or hold a trial. Republicans retain control of both chambers until the new Congress convenes in January, when Democrats are set to take control.This is the second attempt by Massie in two months to remove Hegseth. The first effort did not reach a vote after Republican leaders sent lawmakers home early for the pre-midterm recess.

Hegseth prepares to defend military operations

Hegseth has stepped up his public defence of the administration’s military actions ahead of the impeachment vote.Speaking to reporters after an address at the Naval War College in Rhode Island, he dismissed the effort as politically motivated and said he was prepared to defend the operations.“There’s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,” he said.He added that if lawmakers wanted to examine the administration’s military actions, “I’m happy to do it all day long”.Hegseth also defended the decision to go to war with Iran, arguing that the military action was necessary to confront Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.“Someone had to confront the Iranian regime’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon,” he said, adding that “the choice was don’t act and wish it away or take a bold move”.He has also announced plans to hold a news conference on Tuesday, his first in more than 180 days, to address the impeachment threat.Secretary of state Marco Rubio defended Hegseth, saying he believed the defence secretary had been doing “a great job”.“I work with him. And so I see perhaps a side of him that the media doesn’t see and members of Congress may not see,” Rubio said at a Group of Seven meeting in Paris. “But I think Pete works really hard. He’s incredibly smart.”The impeachment push comes amid continued uncertainty over the Iran conflict. Trump said on Monday that the war was “militarily … effectively over”, but maintained that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue and that American forces remained “locked and loaded, ready to go” if circumstances required further military action.