Pentagon says Hegseth will not back down from impeachment threats
Sean ParnellChief Pentagon spokesperson and assistant to the secretary for public affairs, speaking for the Department of War
Asked by Military.com the day after the midterm elections how Hegseth was reacting to the results and the talk of impeachment, chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell says Hegseth will not be deterred by partisan investigations, that the department has followed the law, and that Hegseth intends to lead it until the end of Trump's term.
“Secretary Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists ... The Department of War has followed the law and our secretary will continue to stand and fight every single day to support and defend the Constitution, lead our troops, and protect America. ... Secretary Hegseth is 100% committed to leading the department until the end of President Trump's term in office.”
Interview
Reporting
Other statements by Sean Parnell in this case
- Pentagon calls the impeachment a sham after the House sends it to committeeLater: Defended or excused
Where this statement fits
Should Pete Hegseth be impeached?
Members of the House have advanced multiple impeachment proposals involving Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Rep. Shri Thanedar introduced H.Res. 935 in December 2025, Rep. Yassamin Ansari introduced H.Res. 1177 in April 2026, and Rep. Thomas Massie announced in September that he would offer a privileged resolution. The proposals allege distinct conduct involving military operations, oversight, and the handling of sensitive information; the proposals themselves do not establish those allegations. Hegseth disputed the characterization that anyone was “texting war plans,” while Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson called the April effort a charade and, after Massie read his articles on September 15, defended Hegseth’s record without addressing the specific allegations. The dispute is whether the House should impeach Hegseth on the basis of the congressional proposals and available evidence.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Fox News Digital interview with Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, published November 5, 2026, two days after Democrats won majorities in the House and Senate. Bacon discusses Hegseth's leadership and the Republican Party's future. The article also quotes chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell's statement to Fox News Digital in response.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Military.com report published November 4, 2026, the day after the midterm elections, on growing calls to impeach Hegseth. It carries a statement from chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell given to Military.com that day, and quotes Mikey Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
Before the quotation
Military.com reports that Democrats won majorities in both chambers on November 3 and that some lawmakers, Republicans among them, have turned their criticism toward Hegseth over the Iran war. It asked the Pentagon how Hegseth was reacting to the results.
After the quotation
Parnell adds that the department will keep carrying out Trump's agenda despite what he calls Democratic threats. He gave the same statement to Fox News Digital on November 5 in response to criticism from Rep. Don Bacon.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
On whether the House should impeach Hegseth, Parnell calls the threatened investigations phony and partisan and says the department has followed the law. He defends Hegseth against the impeachment push.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseGillen says a police escort kept her from the vote and Hegseth should be impeached
“Like Rep. Stansbury, I was stuck behind the same police escort blocking the Capitol when Republicans closed the vote. I would have voted no and believe strongly that Pete Hegseth should be impeached.”Read statement
Stansbury's office says Republicans moved to kill the Hegseth impeachment and he must be impeached now
“Tonight, House Republicans used a procedural motion to kill the impeachment of Pete Hegseth, by referring it to the Judiciary Committee. ... Pete Hegseth must be impeached now.”Read statement
Ocasio-Cortez says the Hegseth impeachment could return before the new Congress
“Hopefully, we don't even have to wait for the new Congress ... I think that should we have the appropriate numbers, Massie could bring it again or anyone else.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Pentagon says Hegseth will not back down from impeachment threats
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/8365-asked-by-military-com-the-day-after-the
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Pentagon says Hegseth will not back down from impeachment threats". First published: 2026-11-09. Last updated: 2026-11-09. https://disputeindex.com/events/8365-asked-by-military-com-the-day-after-the