‘Hegseth has got to go’: Democrats ramp up impeachment push after midterm wins

US House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has endorsed efforts to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, contending that he has abused his powers and orchestrated the war against Iran. Democratic lawmakers are leveraging their recently gained congressional majorities to scrutinize President Donald Trump's administration.

During an interview on ABC News, Jeffries expressed his firm support for a resolution that Republican Representative Thomas Massie plans to introduce into Congress. He stated that Democrats would discuss the proposal upon their reconvening on Tuesday. Jeffries accused Hegseth of undermining national security, escalating costs for American citizens, and endangering the country's safety. He reiterated, "Pete Hegseth has got to go."

Hegseth responded to the impeachment push in a video, describing it as "all about the politics of personal destruction" and stating that it would not work with him. Meanwhile, Democrats are preparing to conduct investigations into the Trump administration in the upcoming Congress. Representative Robert Garcia, who is set to chair the House Oversight Committee, announced his intention to probe the "Trump crime family." He emphasized that the era of refraining from fighting back has ended.

In response to potential congressional investigations, Trump labeled such requests as "extortion at the highest level" and urged accountability. Attorney General Todd Blanche warned that criminal investigations of Democrats could become a reality. "They are not allowed to just go around threatening existing members of the administration, to go around threatening companies, and that's what President Trump is extremely worried about and he should be," Blanche stated, according to the Associated Press.

However, some Democrats have cautioned against allowing investigations and impeachment efforts to dominate their agenda. Senator-elect Adam Hamilton expressed a preference for setting up guardrails over impeachment, while independent Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democrat, cautioned against an all-consuming focus on Trump. He urged the focus to remain on benefiting working-class families and making a tangible difference in their lives.

Democratic Representative-elect Nancy Lacore, who was removed as chief of the Navy Reserve by Hegseth in August 2025, called him the nation's "most unqualified" defence secretary. She added that the impeachment debate is tied to the Iran conflict, emphasizing the need to "end this war because that has driven up costs extraordinarily high across the district and the country."