US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is battling to save his job as the House of Representatives prepares to vote as early as this week on articles of impeachment over his handling of the war in Iran.
Kentucky Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie filed the resolution on Monday, accusing Hegseth of abusing his power and violating the US Constitution, The Irish Times reported. Massie stated that Hegseth acted in a manner contrary to his trust as defense secretary by directing military operations against the Islamic republic without congressional authorization.
At the War Department: We Stand. We Fight. We Defend the Republic. pic.twitter.com/Kkr0DazmCE
Republicans Lose Majorities After Unpopular Iran Campaign
The impeachment push follows a bruising midterm election cycle where Republicans lost their majorities in both the House and Senate. The unpopular military campaign in Iran emerged as a central factor driving the party’s electoral defeats.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told ABC News on Sunday that he is a “hard yes” on the Hegseth resolution. Jeffries stated that the defense secretary engineered a reckless and costly war of choice in Iran that skyrocketed prices and made the country less safe.
In April, I filed formal Articles of Impeachment against Pete Hegseth for stunning incompetence, recklessness, and corruption. Over a dozen colleagues joined me then and, today, even more members are ready to say: Hegseth must be held accountable. Let’s get this to the floor and… https://t.co/JDqyiAFxnL
Passage in the House requires only a simple majority vote. While Republicans still hold the chamber until January, potential defections from GOP lawmakers could allow the measure to clear the floor this week.
Defense Secretary Pushback
Hegseth dismissed the legislative move as politically motivated. During a trip to Rhode Island on Monday, he defended the administration’s foreign policy record to reporters.
“There’s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,” Hegseth said. He added that he remains proud of the president’s America First agenda and peace through strength posture.
President Donald Trump also defended his appointee over the weekend. Trump told reporters in Florida that Hegseth is guilty of basically winning two wars.
An effort to impeach Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth – by a Republican. And progressives won't commit to voting for Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker. My report: https://t.co/V3PMlMNNgC
Lawmakers Take Different Stances on Hegseth Impeachment
| Official / Lawmaker | Affiliation | Stance on Hegseth Impeachment |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Massie | Republican (Kentucky) | Introduced articles of impeachment |
| Hakeem Jeffries | Democrat (New York) | Supports resolution (“hard yes”) |
| French Hill | Republican (Arkansas) | Undecided, wants to hear floor debate |
| Donald Trump | Republican (President) | Opposes impeachment, defends cabinet official |
Even if the House passes the impeachment resolution this week, removal from office remains an unlikely near-term prospect. Conviction requires a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate, a high hurdle that the incoming Democratic majorities will not face until taking control in January.
Hegseth is scheduled to hold a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday to further defend his tenure against the articles of impeachment.
President Trump tells me he will back Secretary Hegseth even if he's impeached. pic.twitter.com/DK2LRbXxhX
More on Pete Hegseth
When a senior Cabinet official releases a video message vowing to fight for his job, you know he’s about to lose his job. For Pete Hegseth, it may be a matter of days. Let's hope so. https://t.co/EHiHemOVfY pic.twitter.com/OcQc59OlyQ
The House of Representatives is barreling toward a vote on whether to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has vowed to address the effort during a rare press conference on Tuesday morning. W @Kubota_Yoko https://t.co/3WwSBPeZs0
