Hegseth steps away from war duties to campaign against Trump foe

By Phil Stewart and Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigned on Monday for a former Navy SEAL who is challenging one of President Donald ‌Trump's top Republican targets in Congress, in a highly unusual appearance for a U.S. ‌military leader.

At a rally in Kentucky, Hegseth endorsed Republican candidate Ed Gallrein and criticized incumbent Representative Thomas Massie, who has been ​at odds with Trump over major legislation and led the drive to release government files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The two face off on Tuesday in what has become the most expensive House of Representatives primary in history.

"Too often, Thomas Massie has acted like his job is to stand apart ‌from the movement that President Trump ⁠leads instead of strengthening it," Hegseth said.

It is highly unusual for defense secretaries to appear at political events, especially during wartime, as the U.S. military is ⁠meant to be apolitical. However, Hegseth has challenged norms since taking the job last year by leading Christian prayer services at the Pentagon, comparing news reporters to enemies of Jesus, and seeking to sanction a ​Democratic senator ​who had urged service members to reject unlawful orders.

Hegseth, ​addressing "all the lawyers" listening, said he ‌was attending the event in Kentucky in a personal capacity -- an important distinction given legal restrictions on political activities of federal employees.

The Pentagon said Hegseth was not violating the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from using their official capacity to affect elections.

"No taxpayer dollars will be used to facilitate his visit. His participation has been thoroughly vetted and cleared by lawyers," Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's ‌chief spokesman, said in a statement.

At the event, Hegseth said ​Gallrein would support Trump's agenda and condemned Massie as an ​obstructionist.

"When the movement needs unity, especially at ​the biggest moment, Massie's willing to vote with Democrats," he said.

Massie, in ‌an appearance Sunday on ABC's "This Week," said he ​gets a fundraising boost ​each time Trump mentions him on social media and speculated that the president is "desperate" to get rid of him.

Trump has pursued a retribution campaign against Republicans who have crossed him. Senator ​Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who earned ‌Trump's ire for voting to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial in 2021, ​lost his bid for re-election on Saturday after Trump endorsed a rival.

(Reporting by Phil ​Stewart; editing by Andy Sullivan and Alistair Bell)