Democratic Leaders Back Massie's Push to Impeach Hegseth

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie from Kentucky introduced a plan to impeach War Secretary Pete Hegseth this week. The move drew immediate support from the top of the Democratic leadership. This coalition suggests the conflict could extend into the new Congress session in January.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York gave a clear endorsement before the formal introduction. He posted a simple, "Hard yes on the Hegseth impeachment resolution," online. Jeffries's statement sets the tone for the Democratic side of the chamber.

Massie filed eight distinct articles of impeachment against the Secretary. The charges allege that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution in both Iran and Yemen. Massie also accused him of failing to prevent civilian casualties. Other articles cite the use of lethal force in an extrajudicial manner, the suppression of free speech, and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without congressional authorization.

Massie described his current effort as a preliminary step. He said his resolution is a much gentler version of what is coming when Democrats control Congress. This framing prepares the public for a potentially larger push after the January swearing-in.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York also voiced support on the Senate floor. He did not name Massie directly in his remarks. Schumer stated that the Senate needs to put Hegseth on trial to remove him for his catastrophic failure in Iran. His comments align with the House leadership's stance.

Rep. Al Green of Texas urged his colleagues to look beyond the current Secretary. Green has previously introduced resolutions against President Donald Trump. He argued that if the Constitution is to be honored, a president declared impeachable by many members must be impeached. He wrote that failing to act would make the Constitution meaningless.

Rep. Ro Khanna of California connected the impeachment effort to ending the conflict. He posted that the goal is to impeach Hegseth and end the war. Khanna and other Democrats believe the war has extended beyond the president's authority without a declaration of war from Congress.

Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a frequent critic of Hegseth, doubled down on her calls for his removal on Monday. She accused him of operating beyond the boundaries of his office. Specifically, she pointed to strikes on boats off the coast of Venezuela that were allegedly carrying narcotics. Omar said he is waging an illegal war in Iran and conducting extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean.

Gregory Meeks of New York, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, echoed these grievances on Tuesday. He said Hegseth has caused the lowest military morale seen in recent years. Meeks cited the firing of individuals based on cultural issues as a key reason for his support. He stated he would vote to impeach Hegseth if asked to do so today or tomorrow.

Meeks indicated that the effort will continue if the initial resolution faces defeat. He said he is not going to let it go and plans to keep digging into Hegseth's involvement. The process requires a simple majority in the House to approve the articles. The Senate then requires two-thirds of its members to vote for conviction to remove Hegseth from office.