EASTORA REPORT | Pete Hegseth has a warning for Congress: impeach him over the Iran war, and the troops who carried out his orders could be next. At a Pentagon news conference on Tuesday, November 10, Hegseth cast the case against him as an attack on America’s military, not legitimate oversight.
Hegseth called the impeachment effort a “farce” and a “stunt,” accusing Republican Representative Thomas Massie of pursuing a personal grievance against President Donald Trump. “This is not patriotism. This is sabotage,” he said. Comparing his situation to Trump’s two impeachments, he declared: “If standing with President Trump puts me in that company, I’ll take that company every day of the week.”
Massie introduced eight articles on Monday, alleging that Hegseth waged war against Iran without congressional authorization, violated civilian protections and abused his authority in operations involving Venezuela, Yemen and suspected drug boats. The resolution also alleges retaliation against Senator Mark Kelly.
Hegseth offered no retreat on Operation Epic Fury. “We didn’t start this war. Iran did 47 years ago,” he said, arguing that the campaign was necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He insisted history would judge the operation more favorably, contrasted American losses with those in Vietnam and Korea, and rejected accusations of deliberately targeting civilians.
He also defended the operation that captured Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, saying he was proud to carry out the administration’s missions and would do so again. He contrasted his treatment with the absence of impeachment proceedings against former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over Afghanistan, his undisclosed hospitalization and the Chinese surveillance balloon.
Asked whether Vice President JD Vance was right to link the Iran war to Republicans’ midterm defeat, Hegseth refused to assign blame. “I respect the vice president greatly,” he said, declining to engage in “finger pointing.”
The House could vote on Massie’s resolution within days. Hegseth closed his defense with a challenge: “If they want to come for the warriors, they’re going