Trump reacts after defiant Hegseth wraps himself in ‘warriors’ and whataboutism over impeachment

Résumé détaillé

Sternly-delivered spectacle appeared tailored to please President Donald Trump, who, sure enough, said Hegseth ‘gets an “A” PLUS, PLUS, PLUS’ right after the early morning appearance

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Embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out Tuesday at the Kentucky congressman spearheading an effort to remove him as he delivered a 16-minute diatribe in his own defense at a rare news conference.

Speaking in the Pentagon briefing room for the first time in months, Hegseth disparaged Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) as a “disgruntled and defeated congressman” in remarks that sounded as if they were at least partially written by an artificial-intelligence tool.

He also compared himself to other Pentagon bosses who were not impeached despite carrying out military operations absent an explicit declaration of war from Congress.

“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. The history is clear, and it's very straightforward, and one disgruntled congressman wants to shred it over policy disagreements,” Hegseth said in a flurry of whataboutism.

He also tried to paint Massie’s effort to oust him as an attack on service members, telling reporters, “If they want to come for the warriors, they're going to have to come through me.”

They also accuse Hegseth of having violated the Constitution by carrying out what is described as “illegal” military operations in Venezuela and Yemen and of ignoring American law by closing Pentagon offices tasked with reducing civilian casualties and states that he “has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to civilians, the lawful conduct of United States military operations, the integrity and credibility of the United States Armed Forces, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with his duties and the rule of law”.

Hegseth responded by slamming the entire effort as ““a political spectacle, a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment.”

“It’s a farce, and…

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