Hegseth defiant as efforts to impeach him gains ground

Washington: US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth struck a defiant note on Tuesday after efforts to impeach him over his conduct in office gained ground this week. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie introduced articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives on Monday, which included 3 charges of waging war against Iran illegally in violation of a long standing War Powers Resolution.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth takes questions from reporters during a news conference at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Tuesday. (AFP)Speaking at a press briefing, Hegseth argued that no previous holder of his office had ever been impeached for carrying out “lawful military operations”.

“In 250 years of our American republic, no Secretary of War or Secretary of Defence has ever been impeached for carrying out lawful military operations — not once. Not under Reagan in Lebanon. Not under Clinton in Kosovo.

Not under Obama in Iraq or Syria. Not under Biden in Iraq or Syria. That is the standard. The history is clear and one disgruntled Congressman wants to shred it over policy disagreements,” said Hegseth, referring to Congressman Massie, who has been an opponent of the Trump administration within the Republican party.

Besides charges related to the war in Iran, the articles of impeachment against Hegseth also include charges of extrajudicial killings in strikes on suspected drug traffickers and suppressing free speech by targeting outside critics like Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.

Hegseth argued that the introduction of articles of impeachment against him sent the wrong message to American adversaries globally, including Iran. “Let’s be clear about what this resolution actually does. It tells our enemies — Iran, the cartels, the Houthis, every adversary watching — that the United States will actually punish its own warfighters and its own civilian leadership for successfully executing lawful military operations,” he declared on Tuesday.

In order to make it to a final vote in the US House of Representatives, the Hegseth impeachment resolution will have to first clear a procedural vote that is set for Tuesday. While the Democratic party is likely to back the resolution in full strength, three Republican legislators will also have to vote in favour.

Congressman Massie has already announced his support, with reports indicating that the Republican party is preparing for further defections that could allow the impeachment process to proceed. The party’s heavy defeat in the midterm elections last week has been attributed to widespread voter dissatisfaction with the Iran war, of which Hegseth has been a prominent backer.

To be sure, any effort to remove Hegseth from office will need a two-thirds majority in the US Senate even if it passes the House of Representatives. This will require nearly 20 Republican senators to vote against Hegseth, which is considered a highly unlikely scenario.

Prominent members of the Republican party like US Senator Ted Cruz have expressed pessimism about the War Secretary’s prospects. “Either Hegseth is going to step down, either he will resign voluntarily or Trump will fire him, or, if that does not happen, I think it is extremely likely, if not certain, that the House will impeach him because, on the face of it, the votes are there,” Cruz said in a podcast this week.

Shashank Mattoo is the Washington DC-based US Correspondent for Hindustan Times. Shashank covers the Trump administration, the India-US relationship and America's policies towards South Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific.Read More