House Democrats back impeachment bid for Defense Secretary
Jeffries joins Massie in pushing for Hegseth's removal, citing costs of the Iran war
By Carlos Rousseau ·
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., confirmed on Sunday that he will support the effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The measure, which is expected to reach a floor vote this week, has gained traction as lawmakers debate the administration's handling of the conflict in Iran.
Speaking on ABC's This Week, Jeffries described his stance as a "hard yes" on the resolution. He argued that Hegseth has abused his authority and undermined national security. Jeffries accused the secretary of engineering a costly war of choice that has driven up prices for American consumers and reduced the country's safety.
"Pete Hegseth has got to go," Jeffries stated. His endorsement provides a strong signal for other House Democrats regarding how they might vote on the measure.
Representative Thomas Massie, R-Ky., originally introduced the impeachment resolution in September. Republican leadership had scheduled votes on the bill but canceled them before the House adjourned early for the midterm elections. Massie has positioned the current effort as a preliminary step, noting in a social media post that Democrats would conduct hearings and trials once they control Congress.
Hegseth has responded to the challenge by criticizing Massie directly. In a video posted last week, the defense secretary called the congressman a "disgruntled, defeated politician." Hegseth argued that the move was about the politics of personal destruction and stated that it would not succeed against him.
The political pressure on Hegseth coincides with reports that President Donald Trump has discussed replacing him with allies. Although the president publicly denied the plan last week, saying Hegseth was doing a very good job, the impeachment vote tests the administration's unity. The House returns to session this week, and the resolution is expected to be filed early before a vote.
Voters gave the administration low marks for its management of the Iran war, a factor that influenced the recent midterm elections. The upcoming vote will determine if the House can muster the necessary votes to proceed with the impeachment process.
