WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a video message Thursday pledging to resist congressional impeachment efforts and characterizing the Iran war as “courageous and historic,” days after midterm election losses dealt a blow to Republicans over the conflict.
The social media post followed mounting ridicule from congressional critics and came as President Donald Trump dismissed questions about potentially removing Hegseth. Trump has repeatedly praised his defense secretary.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioned Hegseth’s continued tenure in a social media post, asking, “Why is Pete Hegseth still around?”
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, remains a polarizing figure who has drawn opposition even from within his own party. Lawmakers are scrutinizing his management of the Iran war—which Vice President JD Vance has said contributed to the Republican loss of congressional control—alongside his dismissal of senior military officers and fraying ties with legislators as the administration pushes a $1.5 trillion defense spending bill.
Democrats, who seized control of Congress in Tuesday’s elections, have vowed to investigate Hegseth and his leadership of the Pentagon. Congressional aides said the probe would likely include the dismissal of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and related matters.
Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, said he plans to reintroduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth next week, warning that impeachment would be “much gentler” than the consequences awaiting him after Republicans relinquish control of Congress to Democrats next year.
“They’ll have hearings and trials,” Massie wrote on X.
In a video exceeding four minutes, Hegseth defended his management of the Pentagon, touting the dismissal of senior defense officials, the termination of diversity programs, and the prohibition of transgender individuals serving in the military.
“They attack me—they attack us—because we are effective,” Hegseth told the camera. “It’s not going to work. We will not back down.”
Hegseth dismissed the impeachment push as a “sham,” noting that Trump was impeached twice.
“This is all about the politics of personal destruction,” he said. “It failed against President Trump, and it will fail against me. You can be certain of that.”
Asked Thursday about potential staffing changes, Trump praised Hegseth, saying his defense secretary had “done a fantastic job” and suggesting the resistance to him stemmed from his decision to fire generals.
“We had so many generals. Everybody was a four-star general. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “Many of those people were woke. I don’t like a woke general. So it’s no surprise he faces opposition.”
Trump also commended Hegseth’s role in military operations involving Venezuela and Iran. “Venezuela has been unbelievable,” he said. “And in Iran, we’ve been there seven months and control everything we set out to control.”
Sources indicate Trump could still replace Hegseth as Republicans weigh their election losses.
On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance publicly questioned whether the Iran war was worth its cost, stating it contributed to the loss of Republican control of Congress. The extraordinary remarks raised uncertainty about whether Trump might proceed with a threatened resumption of major combat operations against Iran.
One Trump adviser said Hegseth “could be on the chopping block” due to the Iran war.
The Defense Department said Hegseth remains “100 percent committed” to leading the Pentagon through the end of Trump’s term.
Hegseth urged “patriotic” lawmakers to approve a funding request intended to help the Pentagon cover the costs of the Iran war and other spending priorities.
“Regardless of how people feel about the war, which I believe is a courageous and historic effort that will ensure Iran never obtains nuclear weapons, we must continue—just as President Trump did in his first term—to rebuild our military,” Hegseth said.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis told CBS News on Tuesday that Hegseth faces “a reckoning,” adding that his strained relationships with lawmakers are undermining the administration’s push for a $1.5 trillion defense spending package in Congress.
Hegseth may also face Democratic scrutiny over his Ukraine policy and U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in Latin American waters, which some Democrats have suggested could constitute war crimes.
Representative Adam Smith, the Democrat expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee next year, pledged rigorous oversight ranging from the Iran war to what he described as the erosion of the armed forces’ “apolitical foundation.”
