Democratic congressional leaders are preparing to target Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if their party regains control of the House, with lawmakers citing his handling of the Iran war, military leadership decisions and allegations of misconduct at the Pentagon.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
House Democratic leaders are threatening to pursue investigations, congressional subpoenas and possible impeachment proceedings against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if they win control of the House in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, making the Pentagon chief a prominent target of their planned oversight of President Donald Trump’s administration.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., have publicly called for Hegseth’s removal, arguing that his leadership of the Pentagon and handling of military operations warrant congressional intervention.
During a recent campaign appearance, Jeffries declared, “One of the first things we’re going to do in the majority, we’re going to run Pete Hegseth out of town.”
Jeffries renewed that position Sunday, indicating that Democrats intend to act if Trump does not remove Hegseth himself.
“Pete Hegseth needs to be pushed aside by the president, or we’re going to have to deal with that situation if he is not,” Jeffries said during an interview with MS NOW, according to reporting on his latest remarks.
Crow, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, made a similar declaration Sunday during an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”
Asked about intelligence indicating that Iran had intensified efforts to target American military personnel, Crow criticized Hegseth’s leadership and identified his removal as a central objective should Democrats gain the House majority.
“Pete Hegseth remains incompetent and is not doing what’s necessary to protect our service members, which is why he’s my priority number one if we retake the majority, to make sure we oust him from the Pentagon,” Crow said during the Oct. 25 interview.
Crow argued that American military personnel deserve leadership capable of addressing threats from Iran and protecting U.S. forces deployed overseas.
His comments came amid renewed concerns about Iranian operations targeting American interests in the Middle East and broader disagreements over the Trump administration’s military strategy.
Democrats have increasingly criticized Hegseth over the conflict with Iran, Pentagon personnel decisions and his handling of sensitive military information.
If they secure control of the House, Democratic lawmakers would gain authority to lead committees responsible for investigating the Defense Department, requesting internal records and compelling testimony through congressional subpoenas.
Such investigations could examine military operations, departmental communications and decisions involving senior defense officials.
A Wall Street Journal report on Democratic impeachment discussions described plans for more extensive oversight if Democrats obtain committee chairmanships, potentially leading to impeachment proceedings depending on the evidence gathered.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., has called for Hegseth’s impeachment to rank among the party’s three leading priorities, reflecting growing support among some Democratic lawmakers for pursuing formal action against the defense secretary.
However, calls for impeachment are not limited to Democrats.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September, alleging violations of congressional war powers and other abuses involving military operations.
Massie presented the 34-page resolution on the House floor Sept. 15, accusing Hegseth of exceeding constitutional and statutory limits on military action without congressional authorization.
The impeachment resolution reported by CBS News included allegations involving the administration’s military campaign against Iran, actions in Yemen, the operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and other Pentagon decisions.
The first three articles focused on alleged violations of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which establishes procedures governing presidential military action when Congress has not authorized hostilities.
Massie argued that Hegseth continued military operations despite congressional restrictions and statutory limits on the duration of unauthorized conflicts.
The allegations remain contested and have not resulted in a Senate conviction or removal from office.
Massie’s effort encountered procedural obstacles when House Republican leaders shortened the chamber’s legislative schedule, postponing consideration of the impeachment resolution.
The Kentucky Republican has pledged to renew the effort when lawmakers return for the postelection session, regardless of which party wins the midterms.
“Trump should fire Hegseth to avoid Hegseth’s impeachment. It’s the honorable thing to do,” Massie wrote in an Oct. 15 statement, according to reporting on his plans to revive the resolution.
He said he would reintroduce the articles after Congress reconvenes, creating the possibility of an impeachment vote before newly elected lawmakers take office in January.
The Pentagon has rejected accusations that Hegseth’s conduct warrants impeachment.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers characterized the effort as a “sham attempt” to undermine Republicans and defended Hegseth’s record in strengthening military readiness and implementing the administration’s defense priorities.
The administration has maintained that Hegseth is carrying out Trump’s national security agenda and has rejected Democratic allegations concerning his competence and leadership.
Republicans supporting Hegseth have also argued that congressional Democrats are using impeachment threats to generate political pressure against the administration rather than pursuing legitimate oversight concerns.
The constitutional process for removing a Cabinet secretary presents significant obstacles even if Democrats regain control of the House.
Under the Constitution, the House can approve articles of impeachment by a simple majority. A successful House vote would formally impeach Hegseth, but it would not immediately remove him from office.
Removal would require a trial in the Senate and conviction by a two-thirds majority of senators present.
Even if Democrats gain seats in November, achieving that threshold would require substantial bipartisan support.
A Democratic House majority would nevertheless possess broader investigative powers, allowing committee leaders to demand documents, hold hearings and seek testimony from Pentagon officials.
The distinction between congressional oversight and removal is important because investigations could proceed without sufficient votes to convict Hegseth in the Senate.
The impeachment debate also comes after earlier controversies involving Hegseth’s handling of sensitive military communications.
A Pentagon inspector general investigation examined his use of a personal communications device to discuss military strike plans in a Signal messaging group that inadvertently included a journalist. The findings raised concerns about compliance with departmental procedures and potential risks to military personnel.
Hegseth and his supporters have disputed allegations that the incident justified removal or established misconduct warranting impeachment.
Democrats have also challenged the administration’s military decisions involving Iran, questioning whether Congress received adequate information and whether the president and Pentagon complied with statutory restrictions on military operations.
Those disputes have intensified as lawmakers debate the authorization, costs and consequences of the conflict.
With the midterm elections eight days away, Democratic leaders are outlining how they would use House investigative authority if voters give them control of the chamber.
The outcome will determine whether Jeffries and other Democrats gain the committee leadership positions and subpoena powers needed to pursue their proposed investigations.
Hegseth remains in office with the administration’s support, while Massie’s existing impeachment effort could receive consideration when Congress returns in November.
Whether the campaign against Hegseth develops into formal impeachment proceedings will depend on congressional action, the evidence presented and the political balance of power after the elections.
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