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KENTON COUNTY, Ky. — Rep. Thomas Massie’s push to impeach War Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war drew sharply different reactions from northern Kentucky residents interviewed by Digital, who offered competing assessments of the outgoing Republican congressman — and whether his latest confrontation with the Trump administration reflects principle or political payback.
Digital visited Covington, the population center of Massie’s district, along with Newport, Erlanger and other communities across the river from Cincinnati, to ask residents about their outgoing congressman and his efforts to impeach the Pentagon chief.
Richard Hassebrock, a Covington resident who said he has not always agreed with Massie, welcomed the impeachment effort.
“I’m not always a huge fan of Thomas Massie, but on this point I am,” Hassebrock told Digital.
TRUMP DEFENDS PENTAGON CHIEF AS MASSIE TARGETS HIM: ‘HEGSETH SHOULD BE PRAISED, NOT IMPEACHED’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth takes questions from reporters during a news conference at the Pentagon on Nov. 10 in Arlington, Va. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday, alleging he violated the Constitution by waging war in Iran without congressional authorization, among other charges. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Craig Cuskey, who works in the Covington area but lives just outside the bounds of Massie’s district in Louisville, described the impeachment push as “pure spite” and “petty,” saying his opinion of the congressman had deteriorated.
The contrasting reactions came after House Republicans voted to refer Massie’s impeachment effort against Hegseth to committee, adding another confrontation to the Kentucky Republican’s long-running disagreements with President Donald Trump and his party’s leadership.
Democrats poised to take the gavel in January, however, signaled they will likely take up Massie’s mantle and seek the Pentagon chief’s impeachment.
Hassebrock said he was disappointed by Massie’s electoral defeat and praised the congressman’s independence.
“He stands up for himself, he stands up to what he believes in, he’s got principles unlike 99% of the other congress people out there,” he said.
Rilla, a Fort Wright resident who provided only her first name, offered a more complicated assessment.
“I think he’s just trying to get back at Trump,” she said, while adding that she had been proud of Massie for standing up to the president and was disappointed by his defeat.
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Rilla said she opposed the Iran war, particularly the prospect of military action without congressional involvement.
“I don’t think anyone should just go in and declare war without Congress being a part of it,” she said.
Phil Wiseman, an Independence resident, said he doubted the impeachment effort would accomplish much, even as he questioned the administration’s military strategy.
“I don’t see a definable outcome,” Wiseman said. “And if you’re going to fight a war, there needs to be a definable outcome.”
Wiseman said he identifies as a “RINO” — a term often used derisively by conservatives for “Republican in Name Only” — and voted for an independent instead of supporting Rep.-elect Ed Gallrein, the Trump-endorsed Republican who defeated Massie in Kentucky’s primary earlier this year.
He said his family has discussed Hegseth, noting that his father was a 27-year military veteran and his son served in the Marine Corps.
“We all had the same discussion,” he said. “Who is advising him? Because this [war] is very ill-thought-out and not well-planned.”
Wiseman compared that aspect of the Iran conflict to how the U.S. previously became mired in Afghanistan.
“So I seriously question the military advisors that are giving them this advice, or maybe they gave them contrary advice and it was ignored,” he said.
Anthony Tuemler of Covington supported impeachment and accused Hegseth of violating the Constitution through his conduct of the war.
Tuemler’s assessment of Massie was similarly mixed. Although he said he was glad the congressman was leaving office, he credited Massie with speaking up when he believed it was necessary.
“I’m glad he’s gone,” Tuemler said of Massie. “But the only thing I’m distressed about or sorry about is like when it came time to say the right things, Massie was the one who did it.”
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Randall Thompson of Newport, dressed in a military uniform for Veterans Day as he walked with his children near Covington’s Mainstrasse Village corridor, said he supports the defense secretary and pointed to their shared military experience in the Middle East.
“I support the troops and Pete Hegseth,” Thompson said, adding off-camera that he was in the same area of Iraq as the former host when they were both deployed.
Cuskey also defended Hegseth, saying he had initially been skeptical of his nomination but had grown more impressed with his performance.
“I think for his background, he’s done a remarkable job,” Cuskey said, arguing that Hegseth was carrying out directives from the commander in chief.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has voiced support for impeaching the Pentagon chief, while other Democrats have signaled plans to revisit his conduct when they take control of Congress in January.
Some lawmakers are also eyeing investigations and potential impeachment proceedings involving other senior Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and border czar Tom Homan — setting the stage for a broader confrontation between congressional Democrats and the White House.
