‘He should be praised’: Trump stands by Pete Hegseth amid Thomas Massie's impeachment push

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump is asking Republicans to close ranks around Pete Hegseth as the Defense Secretary faces an impeachment push from a member of his own party.

The 80-year-old President vowed on Monday, November 9, to stand by Hegseth and urged fellow Republicans to support him after outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced eight articles of impeachment against the Pentagon chief.

Massie, who lost his reelection bid in a Republican primary in May, read all eight articles aloud on the House floor Monday afternoon. His speech lasted approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. The impeachment effort came after Democrats made gains in both chambers of Congress in the previous week's midterm elections.

Trump calls Thomas Massie a ‘total loser’ over Hegseth impeachment push

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump lashed out at Massie, branding him a “total loser” while insisting that Hegseth deserved recognition rather than impeachment. The President credited the Defense Secretary with overseeing the administration's military campaigns in Iran and Venezuela.

“Defeated Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, a total loser, is trying to Impeach perhaps the most popular and successful military official in the Country, Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth,” Trump wrote.

“With recruitment at an ALL-TIME HIGH, from an all-time low under Sleepy Joe Biden, and TWO VICTORIES, Venezuela and Iran, Pete Hegseth should be praised, not impeached,” the President continued. “Congress, stand up for Pete!!!”

Trump's defense of Hegseth also came as the administration faced political pressure following the midterm elections, which saw Democrats make gains in both chambers of Congress. The impeachment effort could further test Republican unity as the party prepares for the transition of power in January.

During an impromptu White House briefing on Monday, Trump reiterated his support for Hegseth, saying he would stand by the Defense chief even if the impeachment effort succeeded.

"He won two wars. He was in charge. We all won. I had great people," Trump told reporters.

It remains unclear whether the impeachment effort will succeed in the House, where Republicans will retain control until January 3. However, Massie told ABC News' Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl that he was confident enough Republicans would break ranks to help pass the resolution.

Thomas Massie says Pete Hegseth violated the law and Constitution

Speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference on Monday, Massie maintained that his impeachment effort focused on alleged violations of the law rather than his strained relationship with fellow Republicans.

“The reality is, we’re not indicting him for being bad at his job,” Massie told reporters. “In fact, he was very effective at killing schoolchildren in Iran. He was very effective at extrajudicial killings. There’s no argument in these impeachment articles that he’s ineffective. The argument here is that he’s broken laws and he’s violated the Constitution.”

Massie needs a simple majority in the House for the impeachment resolution to pass, meaning just three Republicans would need to join all Democrats in supporting it.

He also argued that delaying the impeachment proceedings until Democrats take control of Congress in January could make matters more difficult for Hegseth.

"Will it work? I hope for his sake it does work, because the Democrats are going to bring people in here who have served under him and with him, give them protection," Massie told reporters before predicting that there would be a "robust trial over in the Senate."

Meanwhile, Democratic opposition to the impeachment effort also appears unlikely. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has publicly backed the move, telling ABC News' This Week on Sunday that he was a “hard yes” on impeaching Hegseth.