Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie urged President Donald Trump to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war. He argued that removing Hegseth would spare him impeachment proceedings and warned that he would renew his effort in Congress. His demand drew backlash from critics who invoked Massie’s own electoral defeat and questioned his push to remove Hegseth.
The remarks came in response to an X post claiming Trump was considering firing Hegseth after the midterm elections. The post alleged that Trump wanted to shift blame for the unpopular war to protect his anti-war reputation. It attributed those claims to unspecified reports.
“Trump should fire Hegseth to avoid Hegseth’s impeachment. It’s the honorable thing to do,” Massie wrote.
He also accused the House of recessing early to avoid voting on the impeachment articles. Despite the delay, he pledged to reintroduce them when lawmakers return for the lame-duck session. He said he would proceed regardless of the midterm election results.
Thomas Massie Faces Backlash Over Pete Hegseth Impeachment Push
The proposal drew sharp responses from users who challenged Massie’s political standing, questioned his motives and defended Hegseth.
“Thomas, sorry but you have nothing more to say: We the People fired you!” one user wrote. Another accused him of pursuing a personal grievance, saying, “Can you please, for once, stop using your seat for a personal vendetta and LISTEN to THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.”
Others challenged the source of the report and the grounds for impeachment. “The Hormuz Letter is an IRGC propaganda account on X. Of course you’re pushing out their garbage!” one response stated. Another questioned the proposed charges, asking, “Impeach him for WHAT??!! For streamlining and strengthening our military?”
However, some supported removing Hegseth, with one user arguing, “Trump should fire the inept Hegseth now and replace him with someone with actual high level military knowledge and experience.”
Another pushed for stronger accountability, writing, “I adore you Massie, but Hegseth doesn’t deserve ‘honorable’ treatment after his egregious conduct. We really need to bring back accountability.”
Whether the House will vote on Massie’s renewed impeachment articles remains uncertain. The claims about Trump’s firing plans also remain unconfirmed.
