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Congress Watch · Report · File No. 261111-698

Hegseth calls impeachment a stunt as legal expert says boat strikes could be murder

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held his first press conference in six months as the House took up articles of impeachment against him. A military law expert told PBS the charges raise serious legal questions.

By the Capitol Desk · · 2 min read

Every quote in this story (2) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

My clippings
Pete Hegseth
Pete Hegseth. Photo: U.S. Department of Defense, Public domain

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave his first press conference in six months on the same day House members began voting on articles of impeachment against him, NPR reported 2. PBS NewsHour described a "failed procedural vote" later that day 1. Hegseth called the effort a political stunt 2.

The two sources used for this brief do not say why any lawmaker missed the vote. They also do not report a traffic incident. This brief leaves that question open.

On tapeNBC News · Nov 10
Hegseth at a Pentagon news conference says the impeachment efforts are a “farce” and a “stunt.”Video: NBC News on YouTube, “Sec. Hegseth addresses impeachment efforts”. It plays from YouTube when you press play.

What the articles allege

Most of the articles concern the wars in Iran and Yemen, NPR's Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman said 2. Three of them accuse Hegseth of violating the war powers resolution by directing attacks on Iran without approval from Congress 1.

Another article accuses him of extrajudicial killings in strikes on suspected drug boats. It cites an operation in which an initial strike reportedly left survivors, and a second strike then killed them 1.

From Channel GOPMassie reads Hegseth charge: survivors struck, left to dieThomas Massie · 727 plays · captioned, with the source named

Bowman also pointed to Hegseth's effort to investigate Sen. Mark Kelly over a video reminding service members they need not obey illegal orders. A federal judge said that effort violated Kelly's First Amendment rights, Bowman said 2.

Hegseth's defense

Hegseth said the missions were lawful. He said the U.S. has sunk more than 70 boats and killed 218 people he called narcoterrorists, not civilians 2. Bowman noted the Coast Guard has estimated that about one in four boats it stops in the area carries no drugs 2.

On tapeAssociated Press · Nov 10
Hegseth condemns the impeachment effort against him at a Pentagon news conference Tuesday.Video: Associated Press on YouTube, “Pete Hegseth calls the impeachment effort against him a 'stunt' and 'sabotage'”. It plays from YouTube when you press play.
Pete Hegseth
If they want to come for the warriors, they're going to have to come through me.
Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary2

Hegseth also said past presidents were never called to account for operations that some say broke the War Powers Act 2. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik said Hegseth "wrapped himself in President Trump and in the troops." He added that most questions came from friendly outlets 2.

A legal expert's view

Eugene Fidell is a longtime military law expert and a lecturer at Yale Law School. He told PBS that the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, and that Congress has never declared war on Iran 1. He said that fact puts the case "squarely in the heartland of high crimes and misdemeanors" 1.

Fidell said Hegseth's claim that he followed the president's orders does not protect him, because the orders were illegal in his view 1. Impeachment is a political process, not a criminal one, PBS noted 1.

Military personnel have a duty to disobey unlawful orders.
Eugene Fidell, military law expert and Yale Law School lecturer1

Fidell said the boat strikes could be treated as murder on the high seas. He said President Trump could pardon Hegseth, so any court case is far from certain 1. These are one expert's views. Hegseth has not been charged with anything.

Why it matters

Hegseth said that putting him on trial today would mean putting the troops who carried out the orders on trial tomorrow 2. Fidell rejected that argument and said troops have a duty to disobey unlawful orders 1.

The press-access question also matters. NPR said dozens of outlets refused to sign a Pentagon pledge not to report anything unauthorized, which has made the department much harder to cover 2. Readers get less information while Congress weighs these charges.

The Record

  1. Hegseth gave his first press conference in six months as House members began voting on the articles of impeachment against him 2.
  2. PBS NewsHour described a failed procedural vote on the impeachment effort that day 1.
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Sources

  1. PBS NewsHour, “A breakdown of the impeachment articles filed against Pete Hegseth” (2026-11-10). pbs.org/newshour/show/a-breakdown-of-the-impeachment-article
  2. NPR, “Hegseth has remained defiant as Congress members deliberate articles of impeachment” (2026-11-10). npr.org/2026/11/10/nx-s1-6035792/hegseth-has-remained-defian

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