Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader expected to become Speaker when his party takes control in January, has endorsed the Hegseth impeachment effort, saying he would vote in favor of removing the defense secretary.
In an interview with ABC’s This Week on Sunday, the New York congressman said he was firmly behind the resolution. He accused Pete Hegseth of abusing his authority, damaging national security, and initiating a costly conflict with Iran without proper justification.
The comments came after Hegseth released a video defending his tenure at the Pentagon and dismissing the impeachment threat as politically motivated.
Massie to File Resolution
Outgoing Republican congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, has said he intends to introduce a resolution to impeach Hegseth as early as Monday. The measure contains eight articles of impeachment.
At the center of the case is the allegation that Hegseth ordered military action against Iran without the congressional authorization required under the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
The Pentagon has rejected the accusations, stating that it acted in accordance with the law and that Hegseth would not be swayed by what it described as phony investigations.
Trump Defends Pentagon Chief
President Trump offered his own defense of Hegseth on Sunday, telling CBS News’ 60 Minutes that the impeachment push was unfair. He cited recent military engagements, saying the country had won both Venezuela and Iran.
Jeffries, meanwhile, has said that Democrats intend to act as a check on the administration once they assume the majority. But he indicated after last week’s midterm elections that impeaching President Trump, who was impeached twice during his first term, is not currently a focus for House Democrats.
Hegseth Pushes Back
In a nearly six-minute video released last week, Hegseth urged Congress to approve the Pentagon’s latest military budget request before the Republican-controlled legislature’s final days conclude. He also addressed Massie’s planned resolution, calling the articles a sham.
He argued that his opponents were resorting to political theater because their policies had failed, and he predicted the effort would not succeed against him, just as it had not against Trump.
Path to Removal Remains Steep
Impeachment is a rare process in which the House can vote to find an official guilty of misconduct, after which the Senate can vote to remove that person from office.
With more midterm races still to be called, Democrats hold a 254-seat majority in the House, well above the 218 threshold needed to pass articles of impeachment. However, they would fall far short of the two-thirds Senate majority required for removal and would need Republican support to reach that bar, a politically difficult prospect.
