Donald Trump stands by Pete Hegseth in shock briefing as he faces impeachment vote

Donald Trump has pledged to stand by Pete Hegeth as he faces an impeachment vote.

Republican Congressman and foe of the President, Thomas Massie, introduced articles of impeachment on the House floor on Monday, alleging that the Secretary of War has violated US Constitution.

He told the House: "By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorisation, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable."

The Commander-in-Chief, in an impromptu press conference featuring UFC chief Dana White, said he would stand by Mr Hegseth even if he was impeached, and had harsh words for the Kentucky Representative who has been a thorn in his side in his second term.

"He's a loser," he said. "He shouldn't be taking up the time of Congress or the Senate."

"We could come up with the best bill we could come up with, and he would always vote against," the President added. "There's something wrong with him."

The motion introduced by Mr Massie, who lost re-election earlier this year, is likely to fail, as Republicans remain in power in Congress until January.

But he may be hoping that disgruntled members of his party, who have also not been re-elected after the so-called "blue tsunami", will support the impeachment.

Washington Bureau Chief at the Guardian, David Smith, told GB News it could be a "close-run" thing.

He said: "We've obviously got Thomas Massie on the Republican side, and some indications that a handful of other Republicans might join him.

"Don Bacon and others have indicated they're not so staunch supporters of Pete Hegseth anymore."

Mr Hegesth, for his part, said he was "not worried about that" and plans to hold a news conference on the impeachment motion on Tuesday.

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Earlier in the week, he released a defiant video declaring that a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" had introduced "sham articles of impeachment" against him.

"Just like they tried against President Trump twice," he said. "You see, their policies don’t work, so their obsession with political theatre disguised as power drives them to try to destroy their opponents.

"It's all about the politics of personal destruction. Didn't work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me."

Mr Massie warned that his articles of impeachment were "a much gentler version of what's coming when the Democrats assume control of the House and Senate next year", adding that new Congressmen would hold "hearings and trials".

New York congressman Hakeem Jeffries has already said he is a "hard yes" to the vote.

Mr Smith told GB News the Kentucky Representative may have launched the impeachment vote now as a way to remain in the political conversation.

He added: "My understanding is that if a vote is passed, it does not die with this current Congress. It will carry on into the next one.

"So there may not be a total escape for Hegseth. And I would say, probably whatever happens here, as long as he is still in office, which will presumably be the case, then Democrats will still pursue their investigations, their oversight hearings, particularly into the origins of the Iran war, to ordering air strikes on boats in the Caribbean and so on. And they will enjoy holding him up to fierce scrutiny."

Also at the previously unannounced press briefing, UFC boss Mr White, who was floated as Press Secretary, took questions from the media but ultimately confirmed he would not be the White House's new spokesman.

He told reporters he had "zero political aspirations", but when answering a reporter's question, said the current President would likely defeat former President Joe Biden in a mixed martial arts fight.