Jeffries Backs Hegseth Impeachment as House Vote Nears

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday he supports impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, giving a Republican-led effort a prominent Democratic backer as the House prepares for a possible vote this week.

“I’m a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution,” Jeffries said on ABC’s “This Week.” He accused Hegseth of abusing his power, undermining national security and engineering what he called a “reckless and costly war of choice in Iran,” which Jeffries said had driven up prices and made the United States less safe. “Pete Hegseth has got to go,” he said.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican and critic of Hegseth and the Iran war, is preparing to renew his impeachment effort. The Guardian reported that Massie plans to introduce a resolution as soon as Monday and that it contains eight articles of impeachment, including an accusation that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Those are allegations in the proposed measure, not established findings.

Asked whether all House Democrats would support the resolution, Jeffries said they would “have that conversation Tuesday morning,” when lawmakers return after the midterm elections. “But I believe there will be incredibly strong support for that resolution,” he added.

Massie previously filed a resolution to impeach Hegseth in September. Republican leaders canceled planned votes, and the House left early, delaying a vote until after the election, according to NBC News. Massie said in a social media post last week that his resolution was “a much gentler version of what’s coming when Dem’s control Congress,” adding that Democrats would “have hearings & trials.”

The renewed effort follows Republican losses in the midterm elections. The Guardian reported that both President Donald Trump and voters identified the Iran war as a major factor in the party’s defeat. NBC News reported that voters had given the administration low marks for its handling of the war.

Trump has publicly defended Hegseth. Asked by reporters last week whether he was considering replacing the secretary, Trump said, “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.” NBC News reported last week that Trump had told allies he was considering a replacement, despite his public denial.

Hegseth rejected Massie’s effort in a social media video last week, calling him a “disgruntled, defeated congressman” and describing the impeachment articles as a sham. “It’s all about the politics of personal destruction,” Hegseth said. “Didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me.”

The Guardian reported that Democrats have promised broader investigations into Hegseth’s tenure if they gain control of the House. Aides said possible subjects include his handling of the Iran war and his removal of senior military officers, including the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His Ukraine policy and U.S. strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in Latin American waters could also face scrutiny, the newspaper reported.