Trump Demands 'Stand Up for Pete' as Republican Accuses Hegseth of Being 'Very Effective' at Killing Children

Republican Thomas Massie accused Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth of being 'very effective at killing school children in Iran' as he filed eight articles of impeachment, prompting Donald Trump to urge Congress to 'stand up for Pete.'

Massie said the case was not about incompetence, but about alleged unlawful military action, chiefly over the war with Iran.

Eight Articles Target Iran War and Other Operations

Massie, a Kentucky Republican, introduced a privileged impeachment resolution containing eight articles on Monday, the first day of the House session since the midterms.

The articles cite Hegseth's role in military action in Venezuela and Yemen, as well as alleged drug-boat killings in the Caribbean, The Independent reported. They focus mainly on his handling of the war with Iran. Massie accuses Hegseth of breaking the law and violating the Constitution.

'In fact, he was very effective at killing school children in Iran,' Massie said, explaining that the articles do not argue Hegseth is ineffective. 'The reality is, we're not indicting him for being bad at his job,' he told reporters at a Capitol Hill press conference.

He pushed the point further on CNN's The Source with Kaitlan Collins. 'This isn't a popularity contest,' Massie said, adding that Hegseth was 'effective at killing 200 school children', Mediaite reported. 'That's what we're impeaching him for, his effectiveness in breaking the law and violating the Constitution,' he told the network.

Massie first introduced impeachment articles in September, but the House left early before a vote, with KCRG reporting that Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home. Johnson could again use procedural options to avoid a vote, the outlet reported.

Trump Calls on Congress to Back Hegseth

Trump hit back on Truth Social on Monday night. 'Defeated Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, a total loser, is trying to Impeach' Hegseth, he wrote.

He credited Hegseth with 'recruitment at an ALL-TIME HIGH, from an all-time low under Sleepy Joe Biden, and TWO VICTORIES, Venezuela and Iran'. He said Hegseth 'should be praised, not Impeached', and ended: 'Congress, stand up for Pete!!!'

At an impromptu White House briefing earlier on Monday, Trump was asked whether he would stand by Hegseth if he were impeached. 'Yeah, I'll stand by him,' he said, calling Massie 'a stone-cold loser'.

Democrats Signal Support as Speaker Pushes Back

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had declared himself a 'hard yes' on impeachment on Sunday. On Monday, he called Hegseth the architect of a 'failed war of choice in Iran', KCRG reported.

Speaker Mike Johnson said impeaching a Cabinet secretary during hostilities would be 'a terrible, terrible look'. 'We don't impeach Cabinet secretaries for political gain or for cheap tricks,' he said, The Independent reported.

Massie's privileged resolution requires the House to act within two legislative days. Lawmakers can vote on impeachment, table the measure or refer it to committee, so a vote on the charges themselves is not guaranteed.

With the House narrowly divided, passage could require only a handful of Republican defections, depending on attendance and how members vote. Impeachment alone would not remove Hegseth: conviction and removal require a two-thirds majority of senators present.

Hegseth was expected to respond at a Pentagon press briefing on Tuesday morning, his first in more than 180 days.

In a video posted last week, Hegseth called Massie's effort a 'sham' led by a 'disgruntled, defeated congressman'.