Trump Defends Hegseth as Republican-Led Impeachment Vote Looms

President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth engaged in a press session at Camp David in Maryland on July 31, 2026. During the meeting, Trump praised Hegseth for his military accomplishments, claiming he had "basically won two wars" in Venezuela and Iran. Trump's defense of Hegseth comes amid a Republican-led effort to impeach the Defense Secretary as Congress returns for a lame-duck session following the Democrats' sweeping victories in the midterms.

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky is set to reintroduce a resolution with eight articles of impeachment, accusing Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution of 1973, ignoring laws that minimize civilian casualties, and kidnapping a sovereign foreign leader. Massie argues that these acts occurred "without constitutional or legal authority." The resolution follows an earlier attempt in September, which Speaker Mike Johnson prevented from reaching the House floor.

Massie's renewed push has garnered support from several Democrats, including House Speaker-elect Hakeem Jeffries, who called Hegseth's actions "abuse of power" and "undermining of national security." The split over the Iran war remains a contentious issue, with the conflict estimated to have cost American taxpayers around $47.1 billion and becoming a crucial factor in the midterm election.