Pete Hegseth has dismissed a bid to impeach him as a “political spectacle”, accusing the Republican lawmaker who moved to force a vote of trying to stage a “show trial”.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the US defense secretary – accused of illegally waging war without congressional authorization, and abusing his powers – claimed he was simply being pursued by political opponents of Donald Trump.

“It’s a farce, and it’s a stunt, and everybody knows it,” he declared.

It comes after Thomas Massie, a Republican of Kentucky, introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday. Massie is an outgoing congressman, after losing to a Trump-backed rival in the Republican primary for his seat earlier this year

The move “puts a target on the back of American warriors”, Hegseth argued on Tuesday. “This is not patriotism,” he said. “This is sabotage.”

More details soon …