Hegseth faces impeachment push

The United States midterm elections concluded with a sharp loss for the Republican Party on Tuesday. Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress. This result has intensified calls for accountability regarding the US-Israel war on Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has become the primary target of these demands.

Critics argue that Hegseth played a leading role in convincing President Donald Trump to attack Iran without an exit strategy. On Wednesday, Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie called for Hegseth to resign. Massie stated that an impeachment vote in the House could occur as soon as next week.

Massie filed eight impeachment accusations against Hegseth in September. In an interview with CNN, he said he plans to trigger a vote when Congress returns. Multiple Republican sources told the network that they expect the motion to pass. Massie lost his House primary in May. He has only the current session of Congress to pursue the impeachment before new members take office in January.

Massie argued that Hegseth’s constitutional violations extend beyond the illegal war in Iran. He claimed the secretary is abusing office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions. Massie also accused him of kidnapping foreign leaders and intimidating critics of the administration. In January, the US took Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores to New York for trial on drug trafficking charges. Venezuela has since operated as a US protectorate with its economy controlled from Washington.

President Trump described Hegseth as a champion of the Iran war. On Wednesday, the president told reporters he was not considering replacing him. “I think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said. Vice President JD Vance conceded that the war was the main reason for the electoral defeat. “Any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there,” Vance said.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis said Hegseth would face a reckoning in the lame duck Congress. Tillis claimed Trump would not get necessary Pentagon funding if Hegseth remains. Tillis called his January 2025 vote to confirm Hegseth the biggest regret of his career. Last month, Tillis urged Trump to fire Hegseth for inept management. CNN cited anonymous Republican sources who said Hegseth oversold US ability to overpower Iran. They said he advocated for escalation even when it was clear military force would not bring Tehran to surrender.

A simple majority in the House is required to pass an impeachment vote. Democrats currently hold 214 seats in the chamber. They need a few Republicans to support Massie’s motion to reach the 218 votes needed for a majority. If the vote takes place after the new House takes shape in January, Democrats will not need Republican support. The party is on track for the largest majority since at least 2008, with 240 seats confirmed so far.

Removal requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Democrats currently hold a minority in that chamber. In the new Congress, they will have a maximum of 56 seats out of 100. They would need at least 11 Republicans to join them to secure the 67 votes needed. This threshold explains why President Trump was acquitted in both of his previous impeachment trials. It also explains why cabinet secretaries William Belknap and Alejandro Mayorkas were acquitted after House impeachment.

Analysts say pressure on Hegseth to quit will likely grow regardless of the Massie motion. Richard Johnson, a senior lecturer in politics at Queen Mary University of London, noted that the midterm results may push Republican leaders to portray themselves as more MAGA than Trump. Johnson said such candidates would argue that Trump’s circle betrayed the promise of no new wars. They might seek to distance themselves from the conflict, a strategy Vance is already attempting.

The next scheduled step is the return of Congress next week. Massie intends to bring the motion to the floor at that time. The House is currently dominated by Republicans, but the composition will change in January. The Senate remains the decisive body for removal, with Democrats holding a minority position in both the current and the incoming chamber.