US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has said he is not concerned about a possible impeachment, despite mounting criticism of his actions in Congress. Republican Thomas Massie intends to force a vote on removing the Pentagon chief amid disagreements over the American military operation against Iran.
This was reported on Monday, November 9, by Reuters, citing Hegseth's statement while talking to journalists.
When asked whether he has enough Republican support to reject the impeachment initiative, the minister replied that he is not concerned about what is happening.
"We are not concerned about it," Hegseth said, adding that he is ready to defend the results of his work as head of the defense department.
His statement came as the US Congress returned to work after the midterm elections, in which the Republican Party suffered a serious defeat. Democrats won majorities in both chambers of the new Congress, which will begin work in January 2027.
Republican demands impeachment over war with Iran
The initiator of the procedure is Republican congressman Thomas Massie, who represents the state of Kentucky. He accuses Hegseth of exceeding his authority and violating legislation during military operations, primarily against Iran.
As reported by CBS News, the resolution prepared by Massie contains eight charges.
Three of them concern conducting military actions against Iran without the necessary authorization from Congress. Others relate to alleged violations of rules for protecting civilians, strikes on ships in the Caribbean Sea, the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, and the Pentagon's actions regarding Senator Mark Kelly.
Massie first introduced the corresponding initiative in September, but the vote did not take place before the congressional recess. Now the lawmaker intends to reintroduce the resolution.
The procedural status of the document allows it to be demanded for consideration by the House of Representatives within two legislative days. However, Republican leadership may try to remove the initiative from consideration by a separate vote.
Democrats ready to support removal of Hegseth
Massie's initiative has received support from the Democratic Party leadership.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on November 8 in an interview with ABC News that he intends to support the resolution to impeach the defense secretary.
Jeffries accused Hegseth of abuse of power, undermining national security, and participation in decisions related to the war against Iran. In the Democrat's view, the military operation led to significant economic consequences for Americans.
However, there is no unified position among Republicans on the issue of removing the secretary. Some lawmakers have publicly expressed doubts about the actions of the Pentagon chief but have not confirmed their readiness to vote for impeachment.
Hegseth himself previously called the accusations politically motivated and said he does not intend to resign.
US President Donald Trump also continues to publicly support the defense secretary. Last week he told reporters that he intends to keep Hegseth at the head of the Pentagon.
Even if the House of Representatives supports impeachment, the actual removal of the secretary would require a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate.
Hegseth also announced a press conference for November 10 regarding the impeachment initiative. He is expected to outline his position in more detail regarding the accusations and the actions of the US armed forces.
