Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed the resolution Monday afternoon, forcing a House vote on eight articles of impeachment. The move had been anticipated as calls for Hegseth's removal intensified in Washington.

Hegseth brushed off the news. Speaking to pool reporters on the tarmac at Quonset State Airport before departing the state, he said, "We're not worried about that." He defended military operations in Iran, Venezuela and strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean as successes, and emphasized that President Donald Trump is directing the decisions.

"We are very proud of the President's America first agenda, our peace through strength posture," Hegseth said. "We know the world is a better and safer place as a result." Of the war in Iran, he added: "When the president says he'd do it again, I agree. It doesn't have to be necessarily popular, but it can be necessary. You can't let crazy Islamists have a nuclear bomb."

Earlier in the day, Hegseth spoke at the Naval War College, where he announced new measures tied to his campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion programs and what he described as a purge of unwanted elements from military education.

"Our military education system has become dangerously civilianized," Hegseth said. "Over the past two decades, our service colleges increasingly imported the worst pathologies of contemporary civilian higher education." He accused the college of harboring "a stubborn undercurrent of passive aggressive institutional resistance" and warned faculty who he said believe they can "hide behind academic, civilian academic tenure and regional accreditation mandates to wait out President Trump's term in office." He added: "They're wrong and they're dead wrong."

Rhode Island Democrats responded swiftly. Rep. Gabe Amo posted on social media: "Going to work to make sure Hegseth's trip to Newport is one of his last stops before we get rid of him. Time to go, Pete."

Sen. Jack Reed, a West Point graduate and 82nd Airborne veteran who is in line to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee when Democrats take control of Congress in January, told reporters Hegseth is unfit for the job.

"He's unqualified for the job," Reed said. "He should resign. Or the president should urge him to resign. He does not have the temperament or even the experience to be Secretary of Defense." Reed said he had not yet taken a position on impeachment, saying, "I'd have to look at the evidence," but added that he had led efforts to block Hegseth's confirmation and believes resignation is best "for the good of the country and the military."

Tom Nichols, a Rhode Island resident, staff writer for The Atlantic and former Republican who taught for 25 years at the Naval War College, said Hegseth's speech sent a damaging message to students and faculty.

"Pete Hegseth has no idea what the Naval War College, or any other war college, does," Nichols said. "This was all culture war talking points ginned up within the Pentagon, and within his little circle in the Pentagon." He added that it is "really damaging to have the Secretary of Defense show up to these kinds of institutions and say, 'we don't trust you, we think civilians are awful.'"

Nichols also said Massie's impeachment filing carries more weight coming from a Republican. "It also has a little more power and force I think if the vote comes from Republicans rather than looking like a partisan vote from Democrats," he said.

As for Hegseth's remarks praising Trump's agenda, Nichols said they appeared aimed at "an audience of one" — the president. "That's his way of saying to Donald Trump, 'Look, I'm here, I'm carrying your message, this is your agenda, I did what you wanted me to do, please don't fire me.'"

Reed dismissed Hegseth's critique of military education. "It's absurd," he said. "What he wants is just some guy who can do pushups. That would be a disaster." He added: "This is a nation composed of many different people from many different backgrounds and that together they form the best force in the history of the world. That's not because we ignore the differences."

The impeachment resolution now awaits House action, while Hegseth's visit underscored the deepening divide over the Pentagon's direction and the political fight ahead in Congress.