WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that the impeachment effort led by Republican Representative Thomas Massie against him is a "farce" and a "stunt" aimed at damaging President Donald Trump.
In a press conference at the Pentagon Tuesday morning, Hegseth lashed out at Massie's effort to impeach him over the U.S. war with Iran.
"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," Hegseth said in his opening speech.
"Time 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," Hegseth said.
He stood by U.S. military operations against Iran, calling it a "historic effort only made possible by a courageous commander-in-chief."
In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Hegseth's remarks, giving him an "'A' PLUS, PLUS, PLUS" for his defense against the impeachment effort.
Massie on Monday unveiled impeachment articles against Hegseth over the U.S. war with Iran, just days after the Republicans suffered a stunning defeat in midterm elections partly due to the war.
Massie, a longtime Trump critic retiring from Congress at the end of the year, brought eight charges against Hegseth, asserting that Hegseth is violating three specific provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
"By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable," Massie said in a statement on Monday.
"Secretary Hegseth's constitutional violations extend beyond the illegal war in Iran. He is abusing the power of his office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders, and to intimidate critics of the Trump administration by retaliating against them for exercising free speech," Massie said.
In a post on X Tuesday, the Republican representative said that "today the House will vote on the Hegseth Impeachment Resolution," noting that the first vote will be on a procedural motion. ■