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WASHINGTON: Facing an expected impeachment resolution in Congress, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he\u2019s eager to litigate the military actions that he and President Donald Trump have taken against Iran, Yemen\u2019s Iranian-backed Houthi militia and Venezuela\u2019s previous leaders.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to take issue with what we did in Epic Fury or Rough Rider or nabbing Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, you\u2019re taking issue with the troops and what they accomplished, which is historic,\u201d Hegseth told reporters Monday, using the military code names for the Iran war and campaign of strikes to halt the Houthis\u2019 attacks on shipping in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
Hegseth also announced that he would hold a rare news conference on Tuesday \u2014 his first in over 180 days \u2014 on the impeachment threat. His last briefing was in May, and he has not held one on the Iran war, strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats or other US military actions since then.<\/p>\n
The Pentagon chief is bearing the brunt of anger and calls for his ouster after the Iran war and its economic impact contributed to severe Republican losses in the midterm elections that cost the party control of Congress. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie has pushed forward an impeachment resolution over the objections of House GOP leadership as momentum grows to hold Hegseth accountable for the conflict.<\/p>\n
Hegseth waves off impeachment push as \u2018noise\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Hegseth, after giving a speech at the Naval War College in Rhode Island, brushed aside the possible impeachment push.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,\u201d he told reporters. He added that \u201cif we want to litigate\u201d the military actions that the Trump administration has taken, \u201cI\u2019m happy to do it all day long.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy team, we\u2019re not worried about the noise \u2014 it\u2019s what I told the troops, too \u2014 don\u2019t worry about the noise,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Asked about Vice President JD Vance blaming the Iran war for the massive GOP losses in the election, Hegseth noted that Trump said he would do it again, and \u201cI agree.\u201d<\/p>\n He largely repeated a line that Secretary of State Marco Rubio said to reporters a day earlier: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be necessarily popular, but it can be necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n Hegseth argued that the war was necessary because \u201csomeone had to confront the Iranian regime\u2019s pursuit of a nuclear weapon\u201d and said \u201cthe choice was don\u2019t act and wish it away or take a bold move.\u201d<\/p>\n Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60 percent purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90 percent.<\/p>\n Trump defended Hegseth to reporters on Sunday night.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s guilty of two things, basically winning two wars,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI believe we saved the Middle East and Israel combined. And it\u2019s awfully hard to say let\u2019s impeach somebody who did that.\u201d<\/p>\n Pentagon chief insists \u2018Iran is devastated\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Hegseth reiterated that \u201cIran is devastated,\u201d even though the Islamic Republic has been able to keep striking military bases in the Middle East that are used by the United States, causing billions of dollars in damage, as well as commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Disruptions to shipping in the waterway, where one-fifth of the world\u2019s oil passed before the war, have led to higher energy prices that hit voters\u2019 pocketbooks.<\/p>\n He said the next steps on the war are up to Trump, including telling Iran: \u2018Hey, we\u2019re done, and we\u2019re going to watch your nuclear material. You better not move it.\u2019\u201c<\/p>\n Hegseth\u2019s defense of the war comes after about 6 in 10 voters said the US made the \u201cwrong decision\u201d in taking military action against Iran, according to The AP Voter Poll, a survey of more than 100,000 voters in the United States.<\/p>\n With anger in Congress rising, Hegseth has been on a social media blitz, posting a video last week acknowledging the threat of impeachment. He said it would be \u201call about the politics of personal destruction\u201d and insisted that \u201cwon\u2019t work with me. You can rest assured of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Since then, scores of political appointees within the Pentagon have posted images of Hegseth emblazoned with the words, \u201cStand. Fight. Defend the Republic.\u201d The White House also posted a video to social media that featured praise from Trump.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n