Washington DC [US], November 10 (ANI): President Donald Trump gave Secretary of War Pete Hegseth an “A” PLUS, PLUS, PLUS following Hegseth’s press conference defending himself against a Republican-led impeachment effort.Writing on Truth Social, Trump backed his Pentagon chief, praising his performance and criticising the lawmaker behind the resolution, Representative Thomas Massie, as a “disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman” and a “total loser”.”Pete Hegseth gets an “A” PLUS PLUS PLUS for his defense against a disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman, Thomas Massie, a TOTAL LOSER!” Trump posted.Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced a privileged resolution containing eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth. The charges primarily accuse Hegseth of violating the US Constitution and the War Powers Act by waging a military conflict in Iran without congressional authorisation.The resolution also cites unauthorised operations in Yemen and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.Hegseth is facing eight articles of impeachment in a privileged House resolution and remains defiant amid war and political battle.Hegseth said he stood behind military operations his department conducted in Iran, Venezuela and Yemen, saying they were lawful.”What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight; it’s not accountability. It’s a political spectacle, a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment,” Hegseth said in a Tuesday morning conference.”Time for one man’s final days in Congress to try to do damage to this president, this country and, most irresponsibly, the warriors who defend it.””It’s a farce, and it’s a stunt, and everybody knows it.””As for the articles themselves,” he continued, “Iran, the cartels, Maduro, Yemen, every one was a lawful operation ordered by the commander in chief, then ordered by myself, notified to Congress and executed by American warriors who did their jobs.””We destroyed terror regimes’ capabilities. We sank the boats carrying poison into our communities. We put a narco dictator in handcuffs. These are not high crimes. This is the job, and it’s the job well done.””I was proud to execute them, and I would do it again tomorrow,” he added.Hegseth said the effort hands U.S. enemies a “propaganda victory.””This is not patriotism; this is sabotage. It tells our enemies that the United States will actually punish its own warriors and its own civilian leadership for successfully executing lawful military operations,” Hegseth added.The Pentagon chief spoke at his first press briefing from the five-sided building in six months, responding to outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie’s effort to impeach him over his handling of the war against Iran and other actions.”In the 250 years of our American republic, no Secretary of War or Secretary of Defense has ever been impeached for carrying out lawful military operations,” Hegseth told reporters.The briefing was Hegseth’s first since May, even as the U.S. military has kept up intermittent operations against Iran as well as strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in Latin America.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 sets the stage for a vote on whether to remove a prominent Trump administration figure following losses for Republicans in last week’s midterm elections that many blamed at least partly 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 misdemeanours” and his leadership at the Pentagon “warrants impeachment.”What constitutes “high crimes and misdemeanours” is not spelt out in the Constitution, leaving it to lawmakers to decide what are impeachable acts. A vote in the House could come by midweek, putting pressure on Republicans — many of whom blamed their election losses on the Iran war — but next steps are uncertain.The House of Representatives Democratic Majority announces the beginning of the impeachment investigation, formally starting a process with no firm timetable.House committees investigate allegations of wrongdoing by the Secretary of War, hearing from witnesses and gathering evidence. Their conclusions are sent in a report to the Judiciary Committee.Judiciary Committee decides whether the reports contain evidence of wrongdoing, and if so, drafts articles of impeachment. The committee then votes on whether to send to the House.The House debates the articles of impeachment and votes. If a majority of the members approve any of the articles, the Cabinet Secretary is formally impeached, but remains in office, pending the outcome of the Senate trial.Impeachment does not require the Cabinet Secretary to be found guilty of breaking the law. The Constitution says impeachable offences include “treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanours,” but with no specific definitions, it’s up to Congress to arbitrate.The Senate conducts a trial using the articles of impeachment. The Vice President of the United States or the Senate President pro tempore serves as judge. The senators serve as jury. House members serve as prosecutors. And the Cabinet Secretary’s lawyers serve as his defense.After considering the evidence, the Senate votes on the articles, with two-thirds of sitting members needed to convict. A conviction removes the Cabinet Secretary from office.If a Cabinet Secretary is convicted and removed from office by the Senate, the President appoints an Acting Secretary to temporarily run the department, and there is no appeal process for the removed official. (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)