Pete Hegseth says he will fight impeachment, defying calls to resign

Key Points:

• Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth vowed to resist impeachment efforts and defended the decision to attack Iran, despite Republican losses in the midterm elections widely seen as a rejection of the Iran war.
• President Trump has publicly supported Hegseth’s leadership and intends to keep him at the Pentagon, even as some GOP leaders blame the Iran conflict for electoral setbacks.
• Hegseth faces bipartisan criticism for controversial actions during his tenure, including pushing to livestream an execution and misusing communication apps for sensitive operations, leading Rep. Thomas Massie to announce plans to introduce impeachment articles.
• Hegseth dismissed impeachment efforts as political theater in a video address and mobilized social media support, while Democrats plan aggressive oversight of the Pentagon when the new Congress convenes in January.
• The impeachment and investigations could complicate Pentagon efforts to secure $1.5 trillion in defense funding, with some Republicans questioning whether Hegseth is the right person to advocate for defense priorities post-election.