In the final stretch of a Congress that is about to change hands, a familiar old tension between loyalty and conscience has surfaced in Washington. A Republican congressman has asked the House to weigh whether a sitting Defence Secretary should be impeached over the costly Iran war and related operations abroad, and the President has answered by standing firmly behind his man while disparaging the dissenter. What unfolds in the brief lame-duck weeks before January 3 will show whether the party's collective judgment about war and accountability can hold, or whether it bends to the personal will
Trump Backs Hegseth Against Impeachment Push, Calls Massie a 'Loser' Over Iran War Resolution
"He won two wars. He was in charge."
Mark
Why does this impeachment push matter if the Republican majority ends in January anyway?
Mimi
Because it forces a recorded vote on the Iran war while Republicans still control the House. Massie filed it on the first day back, and a vote could come by mid-week.
Luke
Worth saying that a vote is possible, not scheduled. The reporting says it could come by mid-week, nothing firmer.
Mark
Trump called Massie a 'loser' and a 'sick guy.' Is that just noise?
Mimi
It tells you how he is treating the challenge: as a distraction from a Republican, not a serious charge. He said Massie shouldn't be taking up Congress's time.
Luke
It also tells us nothing about how many other Republicans might join Massie. We don't have any count.
Mark
And Hegseth's press conference?
Mimi
It's his first in over 180 days, set for Tuesday. He has said the war was necessary even if unpopular.
Luke
That's his stated position, not a rebuttal of the resolution's specifics. We'll know more after he speaks.
Mark
Trump also said the Iran war is effectively over.
Mimi
He said it's militarily over and that they're keeping the status quo, while still seeking a long-term fix on the nuclear programme.
Luke
Those are the president's characterisations. 'Decapitated' and 'won two wars' are his claims, and the source doesn't independently verify either.
El Pulso
- A Republican congressman has forced the impeachment of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth onto the House floor, turning an internal party fight into a national confrontation.
- Trump has dismissed Rep. Thomas Massie as a 'loser' and a 'sick guy' while declaring that Hegseth 'won two wars'.
- The clock is short: a six-week lame-duck session, with a possible House vote by mid-week before GOP majorities end on January 3, 2027.
- Hegseth is set to break a 180-day silence with a press conference on Tuesday, and Trump signals the Iran war is 'effectively over' even as the nuclear question remains open.
In the final stretch of a Congress that is about to change hands, a familiar old tension between loyalty and conscience has surfaced in Washington. A Republican congressman has asked the House to weigh whether a sitting Defence Secretary should be impeached over the costly Iran war and related operations abroad, and the President has answered by standing firmly behind his man while disparaging the dissenter. What unfolds in the brief lame-duck weeks before January 3 will show whether the party's collective judgment about war and accountability can hold, or whether it bends to the personal will of its leader.
At a White House press briefing, President Donald Trump was asked whether he still stood by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and he answered without hesitation. "Yeah, I'll stand by him," he said. "He won two wars. He was in charge." He was referring to Venezuela and Iran, and he called Hegseth's work in office a "good job."
His remarks followed hours after Representative Thomas Massie, a fellow Republican, moved to force a House vote on impeaching Hegseth. The resolution rests largely on the war in Iran, and also points to military actions in Yemen and Venezuela. Trump turned his anger on Massie, calling him a "stone-cold loser" who should not be taking up Congress's time, and a "sick guy."
The timing was deliberate. Massie filed as soon as the House returned after the midterms, during a brief six-week lame-duck session meant to finish the Republican agenda before the majority changes hands on January 3, 2027. A vote could come by mid-week.
Hegseth has said he will hold a press conference on Tuesday, his first in more than 180 days, and he maintains the war was necessary even if unpopular. Trump, for his part, said he believes the conflict with Iran is militarily effectively over and is now a matter of holding the status quo, though he still wants a lasting solution to Iran's nuclear programme. Those words marked his clearest step back from an earlier threat to resume strikes after the Democratic midterm sweep. What comes next will be shaped by Tuesday's briefing, a possible vote, and how many Republicans, if any, join Massie.
At a White House press briefing, President Donald Trump was asked about his Defence Secretary, and he did not hedge. "Yeah, I'll stand by him," he said. "He won two wars. He was in charge." The two wars he meant were Venezuela and Iran, and he said Pete Hegseth had done a "good job" in office.
The remarks came hours after Representative Thomas Massie, a fellow Republican, moved to force a House vote to impeach Hegseth. The resolution rests largely on the war in Iran. It also refers to Hegseth's role in carrying out military actions in Yemen and Venezuela.
Trump turned his attention to Massie directly. "Massie is a loser," he said. "He shouldn't be taking up the time of Congress." He called him "a stone-cold loser" and went on to describe him as a "sick guy."
The timing of the filing was deliberate. Massie submitted the resolution as soon as the House opened for its first day of session after the midterm elections. Lawmakers are back in Washington for only six weeks, a lame-duck stretch meant to finish the Republican agenda before GOP majorities end with the change of power on January 3, 2027. A House vote on the impeachment resolution could come by mid-week.
Hegseth has said he will hold a press conference on Tuesday to address the threat. It will be his first in more than 180 days. He has argued that the war was necessary, even if it is unpopular.
Trump also spoke about the state of the Iran conflict. He told reporters he believes the war "militarily is effectively over." "We're just keeping it the status quo," he said. He added that Iran has been "decapitated," though he said he still wants a long-term solution that ensures Iran's nuclear programme is defanged.
Those comments were his most definitive yet about stepping back from his earlier threat to resume strikes on Iran. That threat had followed the Democratic sweep in the midterm elections.
What to watch now is Tuesday's press conference, the possible House vote midweek, and how many Republicans, if any, side with Massie in the short window before the majority changes hands.
Citas Notables
Yeah, I'll stand by him... He won two wars. He was in charge.— President Donald Trump
Massie is a loser. He shouldn't be taking up the time of Congress.— President Donald Trump
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