This morning, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth systematically dismantled the desperate, ego-driven impeachment hoax by a disgruntled and defeated Congressman. Secretary Hegseth made clear that every operation targeted in the eight articles was lawful, ordered by the Commander-in-Chief, properly notified to Congress, and carried out by warriors who delivered decisive results. He also made clear that this is not oversight; it is a political spectacle aimed at President Donald J. Trump and the men and women who defend our country.

• “What one disgruntled and defeated Congressman is attempting is not oversight and it’s not accountability. It’s a political spectacle — a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment, timed for one man’s final days in Congress to try to do damage to this President, this country, and most irresponsibly, the Warriors who defend it. It’s a farce and it’s a stunt, and everybody knows it.” (Watch)
• “In the 250 years of our American Republic, no Secretary of War or Secretary of Defense has ever been impeached for carrying out lawful military operations — and in our case, successful ones at that — not once, War Powers resolution or not. Not under Reagan in Lebanon; not under Clinton in Kosovo; not under Obama in Iraq and Syria; not under Biden in Iraq and Syria. That’s the standard… And one disgruntled Congressman wants to shred it over policy disagreements.” (Watch)
• “That’s what it is: policy disagreements — not high crimes, not misdemeanors, not treason, not bribery, not the kinds of offenses the founders intended when they wrote the impeachment clause. The proper remedy for a policy disagreement? It’s legislation. It’s debate. It’s the next Presidential election. It’s not handing the House and Senate floor to the Democrats so that they can run a show trial against the President and the Secretary of War while Republicans still control Congress and should be delivering wins for the American people.” (Watch)
• “For the first time in American history, a Cabinet secretary overseeing America’s military is being attacked not for losing conflicts with our enemies, but for winning them. Condemned not for defeat, but for military victory.” (Watch)
• “As for the articles themselves — Iran, the cartels, Maduro, Yemen — every one was a lawful operation ordered by the Commander-in-Chief, then ordered by myself, notified to Congress, and executed by American warriors who did their jobs.” (Watch)
• “This is not about me. Politicians in Washington have accused the sailors and the pilots who struck narcoterrorist boats of war crimes for doing their job. Senators, in cute videos, have suggested the same. This resolution is the next step: put the Secretary on trial today and the men and women who carried out those orders tomorrow. If they want to come for the warriors, they’re going to have to come through me.” (Watch)
• “We’ve seen this show before. They impeached President Trump over a perfect phone call; they impeached him again in his final week in office. Both times they failed, both times he came back stronger, and the American people sent him back to the White House. Now, they’re trying a third time — this time against a member of his Cabinet. They will fail again.” (Watch)
• “Let’s be clear about what this resolution actually does. It tells our enemies — Iran, the cartels, every adversary watching — that the United States will actually punish its own warriors and its own civilian leadership for successfully executing lawful military operations… It puts a target on the backs of American warriors by signaling that Congress will undermine their missions in real time. This is not patriotism; this is sabotage.” (Watch)
• “In Operation Epic Fury, by every measure, we achieved a historic military victory… We control the Strait of Hormuz. Crazy Islamists in Tehran will never, ever have a nuclear weapon. A historic effort, only made possible by a courageous Commander-in-Chief.” (Watch)
• “From Day One, President Trump made homeland security national security. We sent American troops to lock down the southwest border and choked off the cartel pipeline of human smuggling, of drugs, and death. Then, we took the fight to them… Thousands of American lives saved with every drug boat sunk and every shipment prevented.” (Watch)
• “President Trump gave this Department what it has not had in a generation: a Commander-in-Chief with the courage to lead and the resolve to win. I stand behind every one of these operations. I was proud to execute them — and I would do it again tomorrow.” (Watch)
• “We will not apologize for putting American lives first. We will not apologize for stopping the flow of drugs that kill our citizens. We will not apologize for destroying the capabilities of a regime that chants ‘death to America.’” (Watch)
• “We’ve never had a better Commander-in-Chief, full stop. I get to watch him every single day. He lives and breathes America First and it’s the honor of a lifetime to be his Secretary of War.” (Watch)

The support for Secretary Hegseth has been swift and unambiguous:

President Donald J. Trump: “Pete Hegseth gets an ‘A’ PLUS, PLUS, PLUS for his defense against a disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman, Thomas Massie, a TOTAL LOSER!”

Vice President JD Vance: “Has Pete Hegseth committed impeachable crimes? The question is absurd and the answer is: obviously not. Like so much of Congress, impeachment has become a ridiculous show that stands in for actual policymaking. Congress has so many tools for registering its policy disagreements. Rather than use them, they’re going to try to impeach Pete Hegseth. They did the same to Donald Trump. Legislation is hard. Impeachments are easy (and ultimately, inconsequential). The irony is that legislators are most angry at Pete on the issues where he’s most correct: repositioning forces away from Europe/Ukraine and reorganizing the general officer corps. This isn’t about Iran, this is about the fact that Pete took on the bureaucracy at the Pentagon.”

Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson: “The impeachment effort is a political gambit for attention… The idea that you would impeach the Secretary of War at a time of international conflict sends a terrible message to our enemies and our allies, and we’re not going to play that game… It’s just purely for people to get attention, and it’s shameful.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “Not only did Pete execute on a direct order from the Commander-in-Chief [who], in our Constitution, is empowered and trusted with the job of keeping Americans safe, but they did it quite effectively…”

Attorney General Todd Blanche: “He is executing on President Trump’s mission… When you hear [this] rhetoric coming out of the Hill that he’s doing something illegal or wrong, that’s not true — and guess what? Every single Congressman knows that… We very much support Pete and we very much support the work that he’s doing working for this Administration.”

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins: “@SecWar has defended vital U.S. interests and helped inspire record-high recruiting levels in America’s Armed Forces. He’s also been a great partner as @DeptofWar and @DeptVetAffairs work together to support servicemembers as they transition to Veterans. Proud to call him a colleague and friend.”

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum: “Together with @POTUS, @SecWar has overseen historically successful military operations, for which America, and the entire world, are safer. He has cut red tape to unleash innovation and modernize our military technologies. He has sent thousands of troops to secure the Southern Border. He has deployed the National Guard to make our cities, including our capital, safe again. And he has strengthened relationships with our allies to deter adversaries and protect the United States. This is America-First leadership in action.”

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins: “Secretary Hegseth is doing exactly what President Trump promised for the American people: putting AMERICA FIRST and Making our Military STRONG Again. Our brave men and women in uniform deserve LEADERSHIP focused on defending our nation, not being dragged into political games. Alongside @SecWar: We will stand. We will fight. We will defend this republic.”

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin: “Under the historic leadership of President Trump, @DHSgov has had NO stronger partner on border security than @PeteHegseth and @DeptofWar. Together, we have locked down the border, choked off the cartels’ pipeline, and saved American lives. Pete is a patriot and a warfighter, and I am proud to call him a friend.”

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner: “Under @SecWar’s leadership, our military has eliminated top threats to our homeland and modernized our warfighting capabilities to protect the American people. Impeaching the Secretary of War for lawful military action sets a dangerous precedent. Congress should be focused on representing and delivering real results for the American people.”

Administrator of the Small Business Administration Kelly Loeffler: “Thanks to @SecWar, military recruitment has reached record highs, the U.S. has eliminated dangerous terrorists and cartel leaders around the world, our border is secure, and our warfighters are stronger than ever – that’s what @POTUS promised his Admin would deliver. Secretary Hegseth has also already strengthened our supply chains by recognizing that small businesses comprise over 70% of the defense industrial base and are essential to American military readiness. It is my honor to work with him on our Smaller War Plants Commission, which is making historic investments in small manufacturers to bolster our capabilities, advance innovation, and grow the Arsenal of Freedom that secures peace through strength. I’m proud to stand with @SecWar and this vital mission.”

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin: “Pete Hegseth is an American patriot and an exceptional Secretary of War! Military recruitment has been hitting record numbers and troop morale has been surging with @PeteHegseth at the tip of the spear.”

Sen. Bernie Moreno: “The idea that a failed Congressman wants to make a political point just because he’s bitter about a defeat is gross.”

Rep. Andrew Clyde: “As a 28-year Navy combat veteran, I know what it takes to protect our nation and preserve our freedoms. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has my full support.”

Rep. Randy Fine: “I trusted Pete Hegseth with my oldest son this summer when he joined the @USNavy. I don’t regret that decision one bit. Thomas Massie’s almost illiterate motion is a fitting disgrace for a petulant loser. Or what I’d expect from someone with the mental capacity of a pinecone. I stand with @SecWar.”

Rep. Nancy Mace: “Vote on Hegseth impeachment is at 5:30pm today – I will not be voting to impeach. The Iran war is through no fault of his own and he should not be the one scapegoated for it. I fully support the changes Hegseth has made to the DoW to make our fighting force the very best it can be.”

Rep. Cory Mills: “I will be supporting our @SecWar as he’s done an amazing job returning our military to its full strength and living the warrior ethos!”

Rep. Ralph Norman: “@SecWar has my full support, and I remain opposed to efforts to impeach him. He has worked tirelessly to restore strength at the Department of War by putting military readiness and our warfighters FIRST. No one has done more to reestablish the strength and credibility of our military on the world stage.”

Rep. Andy Ogles: “I stand with @SecWar… He’s a patriot who has delivered great results for our armed forces.”

Rep. Burgess Owens: “And for years we actually thought Massie was a ‘principled’ Republican… in the end, truth prevails. He’s always been a slick Democrat. Now an unhinged, angry one.”

Rep. William Timmons: “I stand firmly with Secretary Hegseth. Impeachment is one of the most serious powers entrusted to Congress, and Massie’s rush to bring these charges directly to the House floor treats that responsibility like a political stunt.”

Rep. Derrick Van Orden: “Massie is a shameless contrarian who is begging for attention by trying to impeach @secwar before he loses the platform he had as a member of congress. In FOURTEEN YEARS he has never got a bill signed into law. So what the hell has he been doing? Show Boating.”

Rep. Ryan Zinke: “I think it’s a classic case of showboating by a largely discredited, defeated, and disgraced lawmaker—Thomas Massie… I think Pete Hegseth has done a great job. This is unfortunate showboating from Thomas Massie.”

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: “Mr. Jeffries may think this is a free vote he can give his left-wingers before Democrats take control in January. But voters will see through this and notice that Democrats are more preoccupied with shooting at Mr. Hegseth than bringing the war in Iran to a victorious end.”

Macdonald-Laurier Institute Senior Fellow Brian L. Cox: “Hey Rep Massie. International law prof & retired military lawyer here. I read the articles of impeachment you filed against @SecWar today. And it’s clear you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about… Each of the articles includes an assertion that SECWAR Hegseth ‘will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office,’ or words to that effect. In reality, the articles of impeachment are a sham – from beginning to end. And it is Rep Massie, not Sec Hegseth, who IS a clear & present threat to the Constitution – for abusing the impeachment powers vested in Congress by distorting international AND domestic law to create the false appearance that Hegseth’s conduct amounts to ‘high Crimes and Misdemeanors.’”

Former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus: “What order did Pete Hegseth order or not follow-through on that is impeachable? Massie is a grandstanding axe grinder. This is all for show… There’s nothing here.”

Former Department of Justice Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle: “The War Powers Resolution of 1973 never names the Secretary of War or imposes any duties on him. Charging Hegseth with violating it for executing the President’s orders is a farce and a waste of time. Congress could be doing real work right now instead of staging a political spectacle over a statute that does not even apply to the person they are targeting.”

Fox News Channel Legal Editor Kerri Urbahn: “These Articles of Impeachment, particularly the ones saying that Secretary Hegseth violated the federal statute that talks about notifying Congress and the like, I think they just fall so short.”

The Washington Examiner Chief Political Correspondent Byron York: “Reading through Thomas Massie’s articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth. There are 8 articles. Articles 1, 2, and 3 all accuse Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution by waging war in Iran. You might ask yourself: Did Pete Hegseth order US forces into action in Iran? I thought President Trump did that. That’s a good question; from the very beginning, Hegseth appears to serve as a stand-in for Massie’s real desire, which is to impeach Trump… Massie is clearly pushing these articles because he is racing the clock against his own departure from Congress on January 3, having been defeated in a Republican primary in his home state of Kentucky. There is only so much time left to do damage, and with this BS impeachment, Massie is trying to make the most of it.”

Nassau County (NY) Executive Bruce Blakeman: “On the anniversary of the Marine Corps I find it disgraceful that Thomas Massie would move to impeach Pete Hegseth a military veteran and Patriot who restored our military capabilities. Massie is a petulant and small man not worthy of serving in the House of Representatives.”

Veteran Action Founder Mark Lucas: “Side with Massie and Jeffries to impeach Pete Hegseth, and you won’t have a future in the Republican Party. @VeteranAction is watching every vote. Vote NO.”

Veteran Action: “Thomas Massie is a disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman. Veteran Action stands with @PeteHegseth. Tell Congress to vote NO on the impeachment.”

Article III Project Founder and President Mike Davis: “This Hegseth impeachment is garbage. Congress declares war. The president makes war. He can repel sudden attack. He can protect American troops, assets, and allies. He does not need a declaration of war. Where were Massie’s articles of impeachment against Lloyd Austin after Afghanistan? They won’t go after Trump. So they go after Pete. Pete Hegseth is a bold and fearless warrior for the Constitution. He is highly effective. He is doing his job. Call your House Rep. Oppose this bogus impeachment.”

Former Deputy National Security Adviser Victoria Coates: “It’s political theater at its worst because the subject is deadly serious. These are our warfighters and they’re being used as pawns. Unfortunately, I think this is a preview of what we’re going to see out of the next Democrat Congress. Congressman Massie should be ashamed of himself for trying to take advantage of these last couple of weeks for this kind of performance.”

NewsNation host Katie Pavlich: “After months of claiming they care about affordability, Democrats in Congress, along with Republican losers like Thomas Massie and Thom Tillis, have their sights focused on Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. They’re demanding impeachment, citing an array of emotional reasons and international law that doesn’t exist… Hegseth is a patriot fulfilling his oath.”

Harvard Law Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz: “I would be honored to help defend him because these are not impeachable offenses… None of the grounds that are in the Massie allegations come even close to meeting that standard.”

Attorney Mehek Cooke: “As an attorney my advice to @RepThomasMassie: @SecWar isn’t going anywhere. YOU are. SCOTUS rejected Congress bypassing the President to issue binding orders. You can’t impeach Hegseth for defying an order Congress lacked power to issue. Your articles lack legal foundation.”

Article III Project Senior Counsel Will Chamberlain: “Everything about this Hegseth impeachment is like a perfect microcosm of @RepThomasMassie’s passive-aggressiveness, cowardice, resentment, and envy.
– He’s trying to get Hegseth impeached instead of Trump, who he’s still too cowardly to go after personally.
– He’s going after Hegseth because Hegseth endorsed against him in his primary.
– He’s using legal arguments he knows are frivolous. Thomas Massie has been in the House for well over a decade, he knows concurrent resolutions are non-binding, but he’s saying that failing to defy his commander-in-chief and adhere to a non-binding Congressional resolution is an impeachable offense.
– And to top it all off, he’s saying ‘this is all for Hegseth’s own good’ with a smug insinuation that the evidence Massie does not possess will doom him.
– This, from the guy who talked about ‘how much work he and Trump still had to do together’ during his primary, and who published an out-of-date Trump endorsement when Trump had endorsed his opponent.
Thomas Massie is a weak, pathetic excuse for a man.”

Journalist Lara Logan: “The Sec of War has not committed any crime. Massie cannot possibly be so ignorant to the functioning of govt that he does not know the principal military advisors to the President on war in Iran are the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs & the Centcom Commander. So if the Iran war is his issue, he is going after the wrong man. Punishing Pete Hegseth for restoring the U.S. Military to the strength & organization needed to defend this country from all enemies both foreign & domestic is an odd choice. I relish all the attacks that will come at me for saying this – bring it on. Massie is wrong.”

Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham: “I believe the real reason they are coming after Secretary Hegseth is because he has taken on the anti-God, woke, and DEI initiatives that the Biden administration had pushed down the throats of our military. Since Secretary Hegseth has been at the Pentagon, he’s been cleaning house—and millions of Americans are grateful. I encourage everyone to pray for him, that God would give him strength for this difficult hour.”

Article III Project Senior Counsel Josh Hammer: “Patriots stand with @PeteHegseth.”

Lieutenant Colonel Robert “Buzz” Patterson, USAF (Ret.): “Massie is trying to impeach him and @PeteHegseth is changing our military for the better! This is huge! I support Pete. He’s a great dude and we need him.”

Center for Renewing America Executive Director Wade Miller: “The good news is that voters already impeached Massie. He was one of the biggest facilitators of big spending in DC all while he fakely postured on it to Americans. His entire sham impeachment effort is merely revenge because Trump endorsed against him. Weaponizing impeachments like this is exceedingly corrupt and Congress will now be less corrupt once Massie is out of office.”

The Dossier Publisher Jordan Schachtel: “Would be beyond absurd for any GOP rep to vote for impeachment. SecWar has done a terrific job revitalizing the military and has served his country admirably.”

Advancing American Freedom Senior Legal Fellow Hans von Spakovsky: “Massie is abusing impeachment power; it’s not intended to be used as political weapon when you disagree with policy but only for serious misconduct”

Article III Project: “Rep. Thomas Massie filed an impeachment resolution against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Democrats are itching to run with it. The House must kill it. Hegseth committed no treason. He took no bribe. No evidence shows corruption or any other crime.”

California Post Opinion Editor Joel Pollak: “Impeachment of a cabinet member for doing his job, even badly (not the case here), is unconstitutional. It’s why I opposed the impeachment of the (truly awful) Mayorkas under Biden. Media cheerleaders remind us they are siding with one party — and with America’s enemy in wartime.”

Commentator Glenn Beck: “Pete Hegseth is everything the DC establishment hates, and that’s why they’re making him a scapegoat. He transformed the Department of War from a gay, woke, weak cesspool into a deadly fighting force once again. He has inspired our warriors to serve their country, not their ideology. He has made it clear to our enemies that the United States military will not be mocked. That is his real ‘crime’ against the establishment that was managing America’s decline. They’re trying to make this all about the Iran War. But that’s Trump’s conflict. If you think it’s an illegal war, your argument is with the man we elected as Commander-in-Chief, not the man he chose to run the department.”

Commentator Mark Levin: “Seeking the impeachment of the Secretary of War in the middle of military operations against the Iranian regime, without a single legitimate impeachable allegation, is among the evilest and most diabolical acts of any political majority/party in our history! The entire Democrat Party and a freak Republican on his way out of Congress giving aid and comfort to the enemy– an enemy that has killed and maimed thousands of Americans, sought the assassination of the president and others, and will get nuclear weapons if it is not defeated. History will remember this, depending on how long this republic survives.”

America First Policy Institute: “Under @SECWAR’s leadership, the U.S. military hit a 15-YEAR recruiting high across all 5 branches. Americans are PROUD to wear the uniform and serve our great Nation.”

Tea Party Patriots Co-Founder Jenny Beth Martin: “Hegseth just laid it out. This impeachment push tells Iran and every adversary that we will punish our own warriors for winning a lawful fight. One rogue legislator with a personal grudge does not get to veto the commander in chief. This is not patriotism. This is sabotage.”

Tea Party Patriots: “The House votes at 5:30 tonight on impeaching Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Thomas Massie, who lost his primary for re-election, forced the vote. ‘None of these are high crimes or misdemeanors.’ Pete Hegseth is right.”

The post Secretary Hegseth Torches Baseless Impeachment Stunt: “This Is Not Patriotism; This Is Sabotage” appeared first on The White House.

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