Pete Hegseth Says Trump Ordered All Military Operations as He Denounces Impeachment Effort as 'Sabotage'

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military operations at the centre of an impeachment effort against him were ordered by Donald Trump, with Hegseth subsequently issuing orders for their execution. Speaking at the Pentagon on Tuesday, 10 November, he insisted the missions were lawful and denounced the attempt to impeach him as 'sabotage'.

Republican congressman Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment on Monday, alleging misconduct involving Iran, civilian deaths, maritime strikes and retaliation against a senator. Hegseth portrayed the proceedings as an attack on presidential military decisions and American personnel, while Massie accused him of violating constitutional restrictions and federal law.

Hegseth Says Trump Ordered the Operations

Hegseth described presidential authorisation followed by his own instructions to American forces, defending the missions and the personnel carrying them out. He maintained that Congress had been notified and that service personnel had fulfilled their duties.

'Every one was a lawful operation ordered by the commander in chief, then ordered by myself, notified to Congress, and executed by American warriors who did their jobs,' he said. He also said he would undertake the operations again.

Impeachment Effort Draws 'Sabotage' Accusation

Hegseth accused Massie of pursuing a personal political campaign and argued that military policy disagreements belonged in legislation, debate and elections. He claimed impeachment would undermine troops executing presidential decisions and encourage American adversaries.

'This is not patriotism,' he said, before declaring: 'This is sabotage.' His remarks appear in the transcript published by Foreign Policy, while Massie's congressional office sets out the eight allegations underlying the impeachment effort.

Iran Charges Challenge Authority to Wage War

The first article alleges that Hegseth helped initiate the Iran war without congressional authorisation, while the second challenges continued operations despite H. Con. Res. 86. Massie's resolution identifies the concurrent resolution as directing the President to remove American forces from unauthorised hostilities against Iran.

The third article alleges that operations exceeded the War Powers Resolution's 60-day termination period and any applicable withdrawal period. The administration disputed that interpretation, arguing that hostilities had terminated and that the ceasefire affected the statutory deadline.

Minab Charge Cites Civilian Safeguards

The fourth article alleges that Hegseth weakened civilian-protection systems, including reductions in civilian-harm personnel and the removal of senior military legal officers. It links those decisions to the 28 February strike on a girls' school in Minab, where Iranian media reported that approximately 170 civilians, most of them children, were killed.

The United States had not publicly accepted responsibility for the strike in the reporting reviewed, while Hegseth denied that American forces had targeted civilians. Massie's allegation concerns failures in protective safeguards rather than establishing that Hegseth personally ordered the school strike.

Maritime Strikes and Kelly Dispute Broaden Case

The fifth article alleges extrajudicial killings during maritime operations in the Caribbean and Pacific, citing a September 2025 incident in which a second strike allegedly killed two survivors clinging to their boat's wreckage. The sixth alleges retaliation against Senator Mark Kelly, who was censured, threatened with criminal prosecution and faced proceedings affecting his retired rank and retirement pay.

A federal judge granted Kelly a preliminary injunction in February, blocking enforcement of the censure letter. After the government appealed, the district court stayed further proceedings on 18 March while expressly keeping the injunction in effect, rather than issuing a final judgment.

Venezuela and Yemen Complete the Allegations

The seventh article challenges the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, alleging it lacked the necessary congressional or legal authority. The eighth concerns military action in Yemen, which Massie likewise alleges violated congressional war powers.

House leaders scheduled a Tuesday evening procedural vote on how to handle the resolution, separate from a direct vote on whether to impeach Hegseth. Impeachment requires a majority in the House, while conviction and removal require a two-thirds majority of senators present.