Motion to Impeach U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth Expected to Be Introduced Today

Washington: Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the U.S. House of Representatives and a potential candidate for the next House Speaker, has said he supports impeaching War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Following the Democrats’ victory in last week’s midterm elections, Jeffries is widely considered a strong contender to become Speaker of the House of Representatives. Jeffries said his answer to a resolution seeking Hegseth’s impeachment was an unequivocal yes. He added that Pete Hegseth must go. Jeffries said Democrats would play a role in holding the Trump administration accountable and providing checks and balances. However, following the midterm election results, he had said that impeaching President Donald Trump was not currently a priority for Democrats. Trump faced impeachment twice during his first term in office.

Speaking on ABC’s programme This Week, New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries said Hegseth had “abused his power, undermined our national security and advanced this reckless and costly war in Iran that was of his own choosing.”  Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who is considered a critic of President Donald Trump, has said he could introduce a resolution to impeach Hegseth on Monday, potentially paving the way for his removal from office.  The resolution drafted by Massie, who represents Kentucky, contains eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth. It alleges that he initiated military action against Iran without obtaining the congressional authorization required under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.

Impeachment in the United States is an extraordinary constitutional process under which the House of Representatives votes to charge a public official with misconduct or wrongdoing. The Senate subsequently decides whether to remove the official from office. Although some midterm election results are still pending, Democrats have secured a majority in the House of Representatives with 254 seats, well above the 218 votes required to approve articles of impeachment.  However, removing an official from office requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate. To achieve this, Democrats would also need support from Republican senators, a target widely considered politically difficult.  The Pentagon has maintained that it acted in accordance with the law and said Pete Hegseth would not be intimidated by what it described as “baseless investigations.”