U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has vowed to fight attempts to impeach him, dismissing the growing campaign against him as politically motivated amid mounting criticism of his handling of the war in Iran.
In a video message shared on social media on Thursday, 5 November, Hegseth defended his leadership of the Pentagon and described the military campaign against Iran as a “courageous and historic effort”, despite growing political fallout for the Trump administration.
His remarks came days after Republicans suffered significant losses in the midterm elections, with Vice-President JD Vance linking the outcome to the unpopular war.
Democrats, who secured control of Congress in Tuesday’s elections, have pledged to launch investigations into Hegseth’s leadership, including his decision to dismiss senior military officials.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries questioned why the defence secretary remained in office, while Republican Congressman Thomas Massie said he would reintroduce articles of impeachment next week.
Massie also warned that Hegseth could face much tougher scrutiny once Democrats take control of Congress next year, writing on X: “They’ll have hearings & trials.”
Rejecting the accusations, Hegseth labelled the impeachment campaign a “sham” and insisted he would not step aside.
“You see, they attack me – they attack us – because we are effective. It’s not going to work. We will not back down,” he said.
Despite speculation over Hegseth’s future, President Donald Trump publicly backed him on Thursday, describing his performance as “fantastic”.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump suggested that Hegseth’s decision to remove several senior generals had fuelled opposition to his leadership.
He also praised the defence secretary’s role in U.S. military operations in Venezuela and Iran, claiming American forces had achieved their objectives.
The White House denied rumours that Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio might leave their jobs as the Trump administration restructures itself post-election.
However, reports suggest Hegseth’s position may not be entirely secure. One Trump adviser reportedly said the defence secretary “could be on the chopping block” as the administration considers the political consequences of the Iran conflict.
Hegseth is also facing growing pressure over his strained relationship with lawmakers as the administration seeks approval for a $1.5 trillion defence spending package.
He urged members of Congress to support the funding request, arguing that rebuilding the military remained essential regardless of their views on the Iran war.
“Regardless of how people feel about the war, which I believe is a courageous and historic effort that will ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons, we need to continue […] to rebuild our military,” he said.
The defence secretary could face further scrutiny over U.S. policy towards Ukraine and military strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters.
Democrats have signalled that their investigations will extend beyond the Iran war.
Adam Smith, expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee next year, has promised close oversight of Pentagon operations and what he described as the weakening of the military’s “apolitical foundation”.
With pressure mounting from both sides of the political divide, Hegseth’s position is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge for the Trump administration.
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