Pete Hegseth press conference updates: Defence secretary bids to defend Iran war over impeachment threat

Pete Hegseth press conference updates: Defence secretary bids to defend Iran war over impeachment threat US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is holding a press conference for the first time in more than six months as he attempts to defend his record over the Iran conflict Pete Hegseth is attempting to fight back as he speaks to the press following a bid to impeach him over his handling over the Iran conflict. The US defence secretary is giving his first press conference since May says it will focus on the impeachment threat as he appears to try and hit back to defend his and Donald Trump’s actions from “politically motivated people.” Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who lost his primary to a Trump-backed opponent, filed the impeachment resolution in the House on Monday. It follows the Republicans dismal showing at the US midterm elections where the Democrats took both chambers of Congress and it is widely viewed that rising inflation partly due to the Iran conflict played a big part in the defeat. Key Events Trump continues to back Hegseth as impeachment vote could come by midweek A vote in the House could come by midweek, putting pressure on Republicans — many of whom blamed their election wipeout on the Iran war — but next steps are highly uncertain. Trump has backed Hegseth, pointing to the raid to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January as well as military operations against Iran that he asserts have “obliterated” its navy and air force. Iran, however, has been able to keep striking US military bases in the Middle East and has disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz during the course of the more than 8-month-old conflict, driving up global oil prices. Trump told reporters Monday that the Iran war “militarily is effectively over” and repeated his often-made claim that Iran “would love to make a deal.” Impeachment seeks to oust prominent figure in Trump administration Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who lost his primary to a Trump-backed opponent, filed the impeachment resolution in the House on Monday. It sets the stage for a dramatic vote on whether to remove a prominent Trump administration figure following sweeping losses for Republicans in last week’s midterm elections that many at least partly blamed on the Iran conflict and its economic impact. The resolution largely focuses on the war in Iran but also includes references to Hegseth’s role in military actions in Yemen against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and Venezuela. Massie said Hegseth’s actions amount to “high crimes and misdemeanors” and his leadership at the Pentagon “warrants impeachment.” Hegseth to give first news conference in six months Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is to give his first news conference from the Pentagon in six months, just a day after a Republican lawmaker launched an effort to impeach him over his handling of the unpopular war against Iran and other actions. The briefing will be Hegseth’s first since May even as the U.S. military has kept up intermittent operations against the Islamic Republic as well as fatal strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in Latin America. Hegseth, who has said the news conference would focus on the impeachment threat, is gearing up for a fight, having launched a social media blitz and saying he is ready to defend his and President Donald Trump’s actions from “politically motivated people.”