Why Pete Hegseth Faces Impeachment

Thomas Massie, a member of Congress, is advocating for the impeachment of Pete Hegseth, a Cabinet official closely linked to the Iran war. Massie contends that if other Republicans like Hegseth do not hold the Secretary of Defense accountable for his actions, Democrats will in the upcoming year. A potential House vote on the matter could happen as early as tonight.

Massie introduced his impeachment articles against Hegseth yesterday, marking his second attempt to bring such a resolution forward. The first attempt in September proved unsuccessful when House Speaker Mike Johnson opted to send lawmakers home for a recess instead of allowing a vote.

This time around, Massie's impeachment resolution centers around four primary issues: the Iran war, the Pentagon's practice of conducting boat strikes, Hegseth's attempts to penalize lawmakers for warning service members against following unlawful orders, and the military operation aimed at capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Massie argues that Hegseth either broke the law or engaged in disqualifying conduct in each of these instances while advancing President Trump's agenda.

In total, Massie's impeachment documents present eight charges against Hegseth. Each charge alleges that Hegseth violated the law or exhibited disqualifying behavior while carrying out President Trump's goals. Impeachment has only been pursued against two Cabinet secretaries in history: Secretary of War William W. Belknap in 1876 and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024. Neither conviction was achieved, as the Senate requires a two-thirds majority for a verdict.

Hegseth finds himself on track to become the third Cabinet member to face impeachment proceedings, given the impending Democratic majority in Congress following the upcoming elections. Hakeem Jeffries, the expected next House Speaker, has expressed his readiness to remove the Pentagon chief. Jeffries pledged on the campaign trail that Democrats are prepared to "run the Pentagon chief out of town."

Other Democrats have also voiced strong support for impeachment. Pat Ryan, a former Army intelligence officer from New York, posted on social media that Hegseth "better buckle up and lawyer up."

President Trump has come out in favor of Hegseth, praising his performance in interviews and social media posts. Trump defended Hegseth, stating he has "done a fantastic job." During a Pentagon press conference where Hegseth addressed the impeachment filing, he argued that criticism of him is actually an attack on U.S. troops. "If they want to come for the warriors, they're going to have to come through me," Hegseth said.

"What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight, and it's not accountability. It's a political spectacle, a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment."

Hegseth contended that the impeachment bid aims to harm the president, the country, and the troops defending it. He claimed that every military operation mentioned in Massie's resolution had been approved by Trump, emphasizing the president's previous impeachments and subsequent reelection. Trump responded to Hegseth's press conference by expressing confidence in Hegseth, describing him as "perhaps the most popular and successful military official in the Country."