Trump made his strongest public endorsement of Hegseth yet during a White House news conference on Monday, just hours after Republican Congressman Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against the Pentagon chief. Rather than distancing himself from the controversy, the president portrayed Hegseth as a successful military leader and dismissed questions about his performance.
The defence secretary has been one of the administration’s most enthusiastic advocates of military action against Iran. Removing him now could weaken Trump’s repeated claims that the campaign has delivered a decisive American victory.
Speaking to reporters, Trump questioned why Hegseth was facing criticism in the first place.
“But really, what has Hegseth done?” the president asked. “He won the war. He was in charge. He won the war in Venezuela, as I said, (in) 48 minutes. It was flawless. Nobody killed. And he certainly — I think he’s won the war in Iran, but he’s certainly winning the war.”
Trump was referring to the American special forces operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. While the raid demonstrated the capabilities of US military forces, describing it as a conventional war victory is questionable. His declaration of success in Iran is even more controversial, given that the Iranian government has survived the American military offensive.
For Trump, protecting Hegseth has become closely connected to protecting his own record on Iran. A dismissal could invite questions about the decisions that led to the conflict and whether the administration underestimated the consequences of confronting Tehran.
Hegseth has become a reflection of Trump’s political style
Hegseth’s importance to Trump extends beyond his responsibilities at the Pentagon. He has emerged as one of the Cabinet members most closely aligned with the president’s political personality and confrontational approach.
From restricting journalists’ access to the Pentagon to launching anti-woke initiatives within the military, Hegseth has consistently embraced the administration’s culture-war agenda. He has also supported Trump’s decision to rebrand the Defense Department as the Department of War, reinforcing the president’s preference for a more aggressive military posture.
His public statements, attacks on critics and combative appearances have increasingly reflected Trump’s own political instincts.
Sacking Hegseth would therefore risk damaging the image of loyalty and strength that Trump wants his administration to project. The president has also become increasingly dependent on a smaller circle of trusted allies, making the defence secretary’s position particularly significant.
However, Trump’s determination to stand by Hegseth could create another political problem. The recent midterm elections delivered a major setback to Republicans, with voters expressing frustration over the Iran conflict, its economic consequences and the administration’s aggressive political approach.
The war has reportedly cost Washington tens of billions of dollars, strained relationships with important Gulf allies and contributed to an energy crisis that has increased pressure on American households.
Despite those consequences, Trump has shown little willingness to reconsider his position. During a CBS 60 Minutes interview on Sunday, he said he “wouldn’t change a thing” about the conflict.
Hegseth also remained defiant, telling reporters that he was prepared to defend the administration’s military record and discuss the success of its operations at length.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that American strikes have permanently eliminated Iran’s nuclear capabilities. But the full extent of the damage and its long-term consequences may take years to establish.
The political difficulty for Trump is that continuing to celebrate a war that voters increasingly oppose may make it harder for Republicans to recover from their midterm losses.
Thomas Massie launches eight impeachment charges
The impeachment campaign against Hegseth has introduced a serious constitutional challenge for the administration.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has presented eight articles accusing the defence secretary of abusing his authority and violating constitutional restrictions on military action.
Among the allegations are that Hegseth authorised or oversaw military operations against Iran without proper congressional approval, disregarded legal protections intended to reduce civilian casualties and was involved in alleged extrajudicial killings targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific.
The impeachment articles also address American strikes in Yemen and the Pentagon’s efforts to punish Arizona Senator Mark Kelly after he reminded military personnel that they could refuse unlawful orders.
Massie insists that his case is not about Hegseth’s ability to perform his job but about whether the defence secretary has broken the law.
“The reality is we’re not indicting him for being bad at his job. In fact, he was very effective at killing schoolchildren in Iran,” Massie said.
He further argued that Hegseth had been effective in overseeing extrajudicial killings, adding that the central issue was whether he had violated the Constitution and existing laws.
The allegations put the spotlight on one of the most contentious questions surrounding the Iran war: how far can a president and his defence secretary go in conducting military operations without congressional authorisation?
Nevertheless, the impeachment effort also reflects the increasingly bitter political relationship between Massie and Trump.
The Kentucky Republican has repeatedly challenged the president, including through his successful push for legislation requiring the release of previously withheld Jeffrey Epstein-related files.
Trump has responded with personal attacks and supported a Republican primary challenger against Massie in an effort to weaken his political position.
During Monday’s appearance, Trump described Massie as a “stone-cold loser” and called him a “sick, sick guy.”
Massie, meanwhile, took aim at Hegseth ahead of the defence secretary’s scheduled Tuesday news conference. He suggested that Hegseth should directly address the eight impeachment charges rather than deliver another theatrical performance involving Bible references, physical exercises and attacks on political opponents.
Midterm losses could encourage Republican defections
The timing of Massie’s move could prove particularly damaging for Hegseth.
Following the Republican midterm setback, some lawmakers may see the impeachment proceedings as an opportunity to distance themselves from Trump’s Iran policy. Republicans who believe the war contributed to their electoral defeat could become more willing to challenge the president.
Even without enough votes to remove Hegseth, a significant Republican rebellion could undermine his authority and expose the growing divisions within Trump’s party.
Democrats have already welcomed the opportunity to challenge the administration.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is widely expected to become the next House speaker, announced his support for the impeachment resolution on Monday.
Jeffries labelled the Iran campaign “Operation Epic Failure” and accused Hegseth of abusing his authority, damaging American national security and helping lead a reckless military operation that has increased fuel prices for ordinary Americans.
Democrats are expected to support the impeachment effort, although their broader challenge will be demonstrating that they can address the cost-of-living crisis rather than focusing exclusively on investigations into Trump’s administration.
Hegseth’s Tuesday news conference could become another defining moment. If he responds with the same aggressive messaging used in his recent public defence videos, he could further frustrate Republican lawmakers who want the administration to explain the costs and consequences of the Iran campaign.
Trump faces a difficult choice over Hegseth
For the moment, Hegseth appears unlikely to lose his position. Even if the House approves impeachment, removing him would require a conviction in the Senate, where a two-thirds majority would be necessary.
That makes an immediate dismissal difficult.
But the political consequences could extend well beyond the impeachment vote. The proceedings may force Republicans to publicly defend or reject the Iran war, exposing disagreements that Trump would rather keep under control.
Trump’s decision to protect Hegseth is ultimately about more than saving one Cabinet member. It is an effort to defend the military campaign, preserve his administration’s credibility and prevent a growing political backlash from turning into a broader rejection of his leadership.
