Hakeem Jeffries supports impeachment of Pete Hegseth: ‘He has got to go’
House Democrat is a ‘hard yes’ on impeachment resolution against defense secretary who ‘has abused his power’ House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, poised to become majority leader, said on Sunday that he strongly supports impeaching defense secretary Pete Hegseth as a Republican lawmaker prepares to force a House vote. The top Democrat made his position clear during an appearance on ABC’s This Week, declaring…
Key points
- Hakeem Jeffries said he is a "hard yes" on the resolution to impeach defense secretary Pete Hegseth.
- Republican Thomas Massie plans to reintroduce an impeachment resolution with eight articles as soon as Monday.
- Trump said he is not considering replacing Hegseth, saying he is doing a very good job.
House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Sunday that he strongly supports impeaching defense secretary Pete Hegseth, calling himself a "hard yes" on the resolution during an appearance on ABC's This Week. Jeffries said Hegseth had abused his power, undermined national security and driven a costly war of choice in Iran that raised prices for Americans.
The move comes as Kentucky Republican representative Thomas Massie, an outgoing congressman and frequent critic of Donald Trump, plans to reintroduce an impeachment resolution as soon as Monday. The measure contains eight articles of impeachment, including accusations that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
Democratic caucus discussions
Jeffries said members will discuss the resolution on Tuesday morning, when lawmakers return to Washington for the first time since the midterm elections. He said he expects "incredibly strong support" for it.
The pressure on Hegseth follows Republican losses in the midterms, with Trump and voters citing the Iran war as a major factor in the party's defeat.
Pete Hegseth has got to go.
— Hakeem Jeffries
Reaction from Trump and Hegseth
A former senior Pentagon official said the war "has been primarily a Department of War-led effort", and a Republican close to the White House told CNN that if anyone should take responsibility, it is Hegseth. Trump has continued to back Hegseth, telling reporters he is doing a very good job.
Hegseth responded in a video on social media, calling the articles "sham" and saying the effort is about "the politics of personal destruction". Democrats have promised to investigate his handling of the Pentagon, including the Iran war, his purges of top military officers, Ukraine policy and strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats.
