US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth [Getty Images]
US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth [Getty Images]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared Thursday he would not step down, pushing back against an impeachment motion and speculation that he could be made a scapegoat for the Republican Party's sweeping losses in the US midterm elections.

In a roughly five-minute video address posted to X, formerly Twitter, Hegseth said "a disgruntled, defeated congressman" had filed "a sham impeachment" against him with the help of "his Democratic allies," according to Yonhap.

Hegseth also invoked the two impeachment attempts against Donald Trump during his first term in office.

"It didn't work on President Trump, and it won't work on me," he said. "You can count on that."

"An obsession with political theater disguised as power is leading them to try to destroy their enemies," Hegseth added. "This is nothing but politics aimed at destroying individuals."

The impeachment motion was introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), with a House floor vote possible as early as next week.

Massie is one of the most prominent anti-Trump voices within the Republican Party.

In the same video, Hegseth defended the war against Iran — widely cited as a key factor in the Republican election losses — calling it "a courageous, historic effort to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon."

Tennessee Senate seat vacancy draws attention

Despite Hegseth's defiant stance, attention remains fixed on his future in the administration.

US media reported Friday that Trump has been soliciting opinions on who should be held accountable for the Republican losses, according to Yonhap.

A Trump administration official told CNN that Hegseth "probably knows he's done" and appears to want "a dramatic exit that could serve as a springboard for a presidential run."

Trump himself, unprompted by reporters, raised the idea of a Tennessee Senate seat for Hegseth on Thursday when asked about the defense secretary's future.

Trump suggested Hegseth could boost his political standing by filling the vacancy left when incumbent Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn successfully ran for governor of Tennessee.

A Senate vacancy can be temporarily filled through a gubernatorial appointment.

Trump may be weighing a plan to ease Hegseth out by offering him the Tennessee seat as a graceful exit. Hegseth is said to have interest in the position. However, CNN added that he is not currently focused on a Senate seat as an immediate goal, and some Republican lawmakers are skeptical of his move into Congress.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that Trump is also considering replacing not Hegseth but Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine or Central Command chief Brad Cooper.


yul@heraldcorp.com