US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth is facing mounting calls to resign and the threat of impeachment following the Republican Party’s defeat in the midterm elections, with critics questioning his role in the administration’s war against Iran.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has joined the calls for Hegseth’s departure, questioning why he remains in office after Republican Congressman Thomas Massie announced plans to pursue impeachment proceedings against him. “Why is Pete Hegseth still around?” Jeffries wrote on X.
Massie, a Republican from Kentucky who has repeatedly clashed with US President Donald Trump and members of his administration, said that he intends to trigger a House vote on articles of impeachment when Congress resumes next week.
The move follows the Republican Party’s losses in Tuesday’s midterm elections, which handed Democrats control of both chambers of Congress. The outcome has intensified scrutiny of the administration’s handling of the war against Iran, an issue that critics have identified as a source of voter dissatisfaction.
Some Republican lawmakers and other critics have accused Hegseth of playing a leading role in persuading Trump to launch military action against Iran without a clear exit strategy.
Massie Prepares Impeachment Vote
Massie said that he plans to bring the impeachment matter before the House when lawmakers return next week. He previously filed eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September.
In an interview with a news agency, the Kentucky Congressman stated that he intended to pursue a vote during the current congressional session.
According to a US news outlet, several Republican sources expect the measure to pass. However, the outcome remains uncertain, and any vote would take place in a Congress still controlled by Republicans.
Newly elected lawmakers will not take office until January, meaning the current composition of the House would determine the immediate outcome of any impeachment proceedings.
Massie, who lost his Republican primary in May, has limited time to advance the effort before the current congressional session ends.
He has argued that Hegseth’s alleged constitutional violations extend beyond the administration’s military campaign against Iran. “His constitutional violations extend beyond the illegal war in Iran,” Massie said.
The Congressman accused the defence secretary of disregarding congressional authority over military action, using his office to target critics and engaging in other conduct that he considers unconstitutional.
“He is abusing the power of his office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders and to intimidate critics of the Trump administration by retaliating against them for exercising free speech.”
Thomas Massie
The allegations have not been independently established in the information provided.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has said that he has “every intention to keep” Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, despite calls for his resignation. Yesterday, while speaking to reporters at the White House ballroom construction site, Trump denied plans to replace Hegseth. “I think he is doing a very good job,” Trump said.
Hegseth Under Pressure After Midterm Defeat
The impeachment push comes amid wider political debate over the consequences of the Republican Party’s midterm losses and the administration’s decision to go to war with Iran.
Hegseth has become a prominent target of criticism from opponents of the military campaign, with some arguing that the Pentagon Chief helped shape the decision to attack Iran without establishing a clear plan for ending the conflict.
The election results have also strengthened Democratic calls for accountability over the administration’s foreign policy and the costs of the war.
Jeffries’ intervention adds pressure from the Democratic leadership, although calls for Hegseth to resign and an impeachment vote are separate political efforts.
If the House approves articles of impeachment, the process would move to the Senate, which would determine whether Hegseth should be convicted and removed from office.
For now, Massie’s planned motion places the Pentagon chief under renewed scrutiny as lawmakers prepare to return to Washington. The coming debate will test the extent of Republican support for Hegseth and could further expose divisions within the party over the administration’s handling of the Iran war.
