Hegseth Calls Massie Impeachment Bid an Attack on Troops (Full Press Conference)

Impeachment Proceedings and Political Context

• Secretary of War dismisses a congressional resolution seeking to impeach the Secretary as a "political spectacle" and "sabotage" driven by personal animus and policy disagreements rather than high crimes or misdemeanors.
• No Secretary of War or Defense in 250 years of American history has ever been impeached for executing lawful military operations, regardless of administration (Reagan, Clinton, Obama, or Biden).
• The Secretary characterizes the impeachment effort as a "show trial" intended to criminalize successful military operations and signal weakness to adversaries like Iran and drug cartels.
• The resolution is described as a "farce" that undermines the chain of command and signals to enemies that the U.S. will punish its own warriors for winning conflicts.
• Historical precedents cited include the failure to impeach President Trump over lawful operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan, contrasting this with the current attempt against a cabinet member for winning wars in Iran and dismantling cartels.
• The Secretary vows to defend all troops and operations from legal attacks, stating, "If they want to come for the warriors, they're going to have to come through me."

Military Operations and Outcomes

• Operation Epic Fury (Iran): Described as a historic victory with sustained combat for under 40 days; over 13,000 targets struck, including the destruction of Iran's navy, air force, and defense industrial base.
  • More than 80% of Iran's nuclear industrial base has been destroyed.
  • 18 American service members died during the operation, compared to 60,000 in Vietnam and 37,000 in Korea.
• Operation Midnight Hammer: B-2 stealth bombers conducted strikes from the U.S. heartland to obliterate nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
• Operation Rough Rider (Houthis): Over 1,000 strikes hit Houthi targets, forcing them to cease fire on American ships.
• Counter Cartel Coalition (A3CC):
  • Over 70 narco vessels have been sunk, and 218 "narco terrorists" killed.
  • Maritime drug smuggling is down by at least 65%.
  • The coalition was established to designate cartels as terrorists and hunt them on land and sea.
• Venezuela Operation: Nicolas Maduro was captured and extradited to New York City for trial in 48 minutes, marking a "flawless success."
• Strategic Control: The U.S. now controls the Strait of Hormuz and the Panama Canal after Panama expelled China's Belt and Road Initiative.
• NATO Reform: European allies have committed to spending 5% of GDP on defense following demands from the President.

Force Readiness and Personnel

• Recruitment: All five military services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marines) achieved historic recruiting records for two consecutive years.
  • In FY27, the Marines met half of their recruitment goal on day one.
  • Retention rates are at historic highs.
• Personnel Policies:
  • Over 600 service members were reinstated after being forced out by previous COVID mandates.
  • Senior officer billets were cut by 20%.
  • The first increase in hostile fire and imminent danger pay in over 20 years was implemented.
• Compensation: The department is investing in troop pay, housing, healthcare, and advanced weapons through "the one big beautiful bill."

Congressional Relations and Future Outlook

• Stephen Miller: The Secretary praised Miller as an "incredible American patriot" and credited him with enabling the secure southwest border for 18 months and the formation of the Counter Cartel Coalition; Miller is confirmed as the new Chief of Staff.
• Leverage with Allies: The Secretary notes that Latin American nations joined the Counter Cartel Coalition proudly due to demonstrated U.S. leadership, rejecting domination by China, Russia, or Iran.
• Funding Priorities: Despite the impeachment drama, the focus is on securing at least $350 billion in reconciliation funding to ensure the military dominates all domains for decades.
• Nuclear Oversight: Regarding Iran's potential rearmament during a ceasefire, the Secretary confirmed the U.S. maintains "ironclad" oversight via satellite and intelligence to detect nuclear reconstitution, with the capability to resume kinetic action if necessary.
• Political Assessment: The Secretary declined to comment on Vice President Vance's claim that the Iran war caused midterm losses, calling it "politics" and reiterating that the war was necessary to ensure Iran never possesses a nuclear weapon.
• Legislative Strategy: The department plans to continue briefing both Republicans and Democrats, leveraging support from Speaker Johnson and Whip Emmer to block the impeachment articles while pushing for full funding.
• Future Stance: The Secretary asserts that if the administration returns to power, the military will remain "locked and loaded" to defend American interests, and they will not apologize for putting American lives first or destroying adversarial regimes.