Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has declared he will not back down amid calls for his impeachment, stating that he is "not going to back down." The House of Representatives is expected to vote on an impeachment resolution against Hegseth when it reconvenes next week. The resolution was introduced in September by outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie.
Hegseth addressed the impeachment push in a video message, stating, "Just like the president. We don’t back down. And that especially applies now." He characterized the effort as an obsession by "the other side," including " and a "disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies," attempting to draw parallels to impeachment efforts against former President Trump.
Massie, a libertarian-leaning Republican, initiated the impeachment proceedings, citing Hegseth's role in the war in Iran. Hegseth had previously campaigned against Massie in his primary election, a notable action for a Pentagon official.
Rumors have circulated that Hegseth might resign to accept an appointment to a U.S. Senate seat, but his allies have reportedly dismissed these claims. In addition to addressing the impeachment efforts, Hegseth also used his video message to advocate for increased funding for the Department of War, urging lawmakers to pass additional appropriations.