‘Political Theater!’ Pete Hegseth Posts Defiant Video Amid Impeachment Push

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth released a defiant 5-minute video on Thursday, hitting back at critics amid growing speculation President Donald Trump could fire him following the GOP’s midterm wipeout.

Outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has also vowed to lead an impeachment effort against Hegseth as this Congress winds down in the next few months.

“But why do the Democrats and the deep state radicals really hate us?” Hegseth said in the clip after boasting about his reshaping of the military.

“Because we tore down their sacred cows, one by one, and without apology. DEI is a Marxist ideology built to destroy us, so we crushed it. Diversity is not our strength; our unity is. Men and women, they’re not the same thing, but in the military, they must be held to the same standard. Strong young men who believe in something greater than themselves are admirable. Patriot extremism? It’s not a thing. Patriots are now in control. Being trans is a mental illness incompatible with military service,” he continued before pivoting to the war in Iran:

You see, because regardless of how people feel about the war, which I believe is a courageous and historic effort that will ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon, we need to continue, as President Trump did in his first term, to rebuild our military. That requires funding. And the Department of War must be funded to meet the moment right now. That includes a generational investment: a reconciliation bill of at least $350 billion to keep this department, our country, way ahead in a dangerous world. We need every vote from every patriotic member of Congress.

Hegseth later addressed Massie, without naming him directly. “This is not about me, but of course the other side, in case you’ve noticed, they’re obsessed,” he fumed, adding:

A disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies, has also dropped sham articles of impeachment against yours truly, just like they tried against President Trump twice. You see, their policies don’t work, so their obsession with political theater disguised as power drives them to try to destroy their opponents. It’s all about the politics of personal destruction. Didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me. You can rest assured of that.

Trump addressed the calls for Hegseth’s ouster in a Thursday conversation with ABC News’s Jonathan Karl.

“I have every intention to keep him,” Karl quoted Trump as saying in a social media post.

Massie replied to Karl’s post and added, “If Trump’s going to replace appointees like Hegseth, he should do it while he can still get the replacements confirmed in the Senate. Also, my Hegseth impeachment resolution is a much gentler version of what’s coming when Dem’s control Congress. They’ll have hearings & trials.”

Watch the clip above.

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