"This is not patriotism, this is sabotage": Hegseth at first Pentagon press conference in six months rejects impeachment and says Iranian air force is "in ruins"

On November 10, 2026, the Pentagon briefing room hosted the first public briefing by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in the last six months. The speech, which lasted over an hour, focused on several acute topics at once: the legality of ongoing military operations in Iran and in territory where Washington claims drug traffickers operate, as well as an attempt by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to initiate impeachment proceedings against Hegseth himself. The Secretary of Defense called this initiative "a farce and a PR stunt," and Massie "a disgruntled and defeated congressman" whose actions are driven by "ego and resentment" rather than a desire for accountability.

Impeachment as "sabotage" and a "propaganda victory" for US opponents

Hegseth categorically rejected the legitimacy of the impeachment procedure, stating that no Secretary of Defense in US history has ever been impeached for conducting "lawful military operations." According to him, personal motives rather than state interests lie behind Massie's initiative, which was launched on Monday. "This is not patriotism. This is sabotage," the Pentagon chief emphasized, adding that the impeachment process itself gives external opponents of the US a "propaganda victory." Addressing the military personnel present in the room or watching the broadcast, Hegseth urged them to pay no attention to the "noise" and "politics," emphasizing that they are "doing the real work" and are "the best of the best in our country."

Operation "Epic Fury" and the assessment of the state of the Iranian armed forces

Hegseth devoted a significant part of his speech to the outcomes of the joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran, which the administration called "Epic Fury." The Defense Secretary called this operation "a historic military victory" and stated that as a result of strikes on the Iranian navy, air force, and nuclear facilities, the Iranian armed forces are "in ruins." He also reiterated the administration's thesis that the US did not start this conflict: "Iran started it 47 years ago," Hegseth said, referring to the 1979 revolution. According to him, President Trump "acted decisively and correctly" for the sake of America's security. In the same vein, the administration official commented on the military operation in Venezuela, aimed, according to administration representatives, at overthrowing Nicolás Maduro, calling it a "complete success."

Legal arguments: why, according to the Pentagon, congressional approval was not required

Answering questions about the legal basis for the operations, Hegseth set out the argumentation that the Trump administration has been building for months: no separate congressional approval was required to carry out these actions. As a historical precedent, the minister cited the US intervention in Lebanon in 1983, as well as a number of other episodes from US military history. He emphasized that the president, as commander-in-chief, possesses constitutional powers to ensure the country's security, and that the military operations in question fall within the scope of these powers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was in Paris at the time for a G7 foreign ministers meeting, in response to a request to comment on Hegseth's statements, confirmed this position: "The US president is the commander-in-chief," Rubio said, adding that Hegseth "not only executed the direct order of the commander-in-chief, but did so very effectively."

Media criticism and "wokeness" in the armed forces

Hegseth did not bypass the topic that the Trump administration calls "wokeness" in the military. According to him, the government has managed to put an end to this phenomenon and increase the combat readiness of the armed forces. Criticizing journalists, the minister stated that the media "will never be able to recognize military success" because they "hate the president" more than they love the United States and the American military. He promised that the government "will continue to do the work for which the American people elected President Trump."

Trump's reaction and Vance's position

President Donald Trump on the same day published a message on his social network Truth Social in which he gave Hegseth an "„A« PLUS PLUS PLUS" rating for defending himself against "disgruntled, angry, defeated former congressman Thomas Massie — a TOTAL LOSER." Earlier, on the eve of the briefing, Trump also called Massie a "total failure" who "is trying to initiate impeachment against arguably the most popular and successful military official in the country." Separately, Hegseth was asked about statements by Vice President JD Vance, who reportedly called the war with Iran one of the main reasons for the Republicans' defeat in the midterm elections. Hegseth replied that he respects Vance and will not participate in "mutual accusations," adding: "Fortunately, politics is not really my sphere; I deal with the affairs of the Department of Defense and make sure we are ready for any situations."