Trump addresses movement to impeach Pete Hegseth as tensions rise, hits back at the man behind the resolution: ‘…very bad guy’
On the chopping block.
Donald Trump made his stance clear on Thursday, November 5, 2026, regarding the future of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to ABC News, he stated he has every intention to keep Hegseth in his role despite a brewing movement to impeach him. This comes as GOP Representative Thomas Massie prepares to bring an impeachment resolution back to the floor.
Trump acknowledged he has been receiving calls from people who are not happy with Hegseth. He noted he hears from these individuals but remains puzzled by the criticism. The President then criticized Massie. He said, “Massie is a guy who is very destructive and is a very bad guy.” This sharp rebuke comes after Massie previously lost his primary race following an endorsement from Trump for his opponent.
Massie intends to introduce his resolution early next week. He reportedly believes there are enough Republican defectors to see it pass. The resolution itself is a massive 34-page document that includes eight articles of impeachment. Massie argued that Hegseth acted in a way that is contrary to his trust as Secretary of Defense.
Massie contends that Hegseth is a threat to civilians and the laws of war
The Representative also claims that the Defense Secretary has acted in a way that is grossly incompatible with his duties. The resolution states that Hegseth warrants removal from office and disqualification from holding any future position of honor.
For his part, Hegseth is not staying quiet while these threats mount. On the same day, he posted a video on social media to push back against the effort. He dismissed the impeachment push as political theater. He specifically called it the politics of personal destruction.
In his video, he claimed the effort would not work on him just as it did not work against President Trump. Hegseth also took aim at his critics. He referred to Massie as a disgruntled and defeated congressman. He also blamed Democratic allies for supporting these “sham articles of impeachment.”
Hegseth remains focused on his vision for the Pentagon
The Defense Secretary is urging Congress to approve at least $350 billion in defense funding, per Fox News. He wants this money to strengthen the military and the industrial base. Hegseth touted his work on an overhaul of the department.
This includes his efforts to eliminate what he calls weird and woke initiatives. He stated that he and the administration ended the weird and the woke and elevated patriots in strength. He also characterized diversity initiatives as Marxist ideologies built to destroy the nation.
Hegseth defended the military operations against Iran in the same video, saying, “When we say that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon, we actually mean it.” He described the campaign as a courageous and historic effort and took time to praise the president for his resilience.
Referencing the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, he said Trump literally took a bullet for this nation. He ended his message to the troops by telling them not to blink and to ignore the noise. He insisted that he will not back down and will put the warfighter first.
The situation is further complicated by the recent midterm election results
According to Reality Tea, reports suggest that Republican lawmakers may be looking for a scapegoat for voter anger regarding the war with Iran. Trump admitted that the conflict with Iran contributed to the sweeping losses for Republicans. Speculation is rife that Hegseth is potentially eyeing the Senate seat in Tennessee that will soon be vacated by Marsha Blackburn. Trump predicted that his defense secretary would be very popular in that state.
Meanwhile, Trump is looking ahead to how he might work with the other side of the aisle. He said he expects Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to visit the White House at some point. He noted he has not spoken to them yet. However, he mentioned that he has been in contact with other Democrats.
The President stated that he has friends across the aisle and believes it is good for the country if they can find a way to get along. He added that the country has had enough of the current division.
Trump also admitted that it would be easier to confirm a replacement for Hegseth before Democrats take over in January. This is because Democrats have indicated they will use their new majority to investigate him. Despite this, the president remains firm in his support for his current defense lead. He told reporters that Hegseth has done a fantastic job and confirmed he has no plans for staffing changes despite the external pressure.
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