US Rep. Massie explains why impeachment articles target Hegseth, not Trump

Rep. Thomas Massie has clarified why his impeachment resolution before the U.S. House of Representatives is directed at Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, rather than President Donald Trump. Speaking on Capitol Hill on Monday, Massie stated that while President Trump may be culpable for approving several military actions in various countries, it was Hegseth who executed unlawful orders. The congressman likened Trump to a horse knocked out from under him, asserting that impeaching Trump is politically impossible.

Massie emphasized that he is acting in the right, explaining that the move to oust Hegseth is not solely about the deaths of schoolchildren in Iran or boat strikes, but rather because he has broken laws and violated the constitution. The eight reintroduced articles of impeachment by Massie, a Kentucky Republican, accuse Hegseth of abusing his office, committing high crimes and misdemeanors.

The charges against Hegseth are detailed in Articles 1-3, which cover the invasion of Iran without Congressional approval, and Articles 4-8, which cite disregard for laws minimizing civilian casualties, extrajudicial killings, suppression of free speech, the kidnapping of a foreign leader, and unlawful war in Yemen. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded to the resolution by stating that the "most unqualified Secretary of Defence in American history has to go," arguing that his continued presence is unjustified.

Hegseth, however, remained unphased by the bipartisan push against him, delivering a speech at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, where he declared that he is "not worried" about the effort to remove him. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Hegseth during a speech in Paris, France, during the G7 foreign ministers meeting, praising the secretary's intelligence and professionalism.