Jeffries expects strong House Democratic support for impeachment resolution
House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is poised to become majority leader, said Sunday that House Democrats would discuss the Pete Hegseth impeachment resolution Tuesday morning, when lawmakers return to Washington for the first time since the midterm elections. Asked whether he expected the entire Democratic caucus to support the resolution, Jeffries said members would “have that conversation” and added, “But I believe there will be incredibly strong support for that resolution.”
One Republican close to the White House said Pete Hegseth should take responsibility for the Iran war. In an interview with CNN, one Republican close to the White House said, “If the president is serious about anyone taking responsibility for it, it’s Pete Hegseth,” and added, “Pete has been either dishonest or incorrect – neither of which are acceptable – about timelines, goals and objectives since the beginning.”
A former senior Pentagon official separately said Wednesday that the war “has been primarily a Department of War-led effort because you chose to take military action to resolve a foreign policy matter.”
In the same appearance on ABC’s This Week, Jeffries declared himself a “hard yes” on the resolution. “I’m a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution. The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security, and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe,” Jeffries said. “Pete Hegseth has got to go.”
Democrats have promised to investigate Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon as they prepare to intensify scrutiny of his tenure as defense secretary. Aides said possible investigation subjects included his handling of the Iran war and what The Guardian described as “purges of top military officers,” including the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Separately, Hegseth could also face scrutiny over his Ukraine policy and US military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in Latin American waters, which some Democrats said could amount to war crimes.
Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie, an outgoing congressman and frequent critic of Donald Trump, said he was preparing to force a House vote. He planned to reintroduce the impeachment resolution as soon as Monday, potentially setting up a House showdown within days. The measure includes eight articles of impeachment accusing Hegseth of multiple offenses, including violating the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
The mounting pressure on Hegseth followed Republican losses in the midterm elections. The Guardian reported that both Trump and voters identified the Iran war as a major factor in the party’s defeat.
Despite the criticism, Trump has continued to stand behind Hegseth. When reporters asked Wednesday whether he was considering replacing the defense secretary, the president dismissed the possibility. “No, I think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said.
Hegseth pushed back against the impeachment effort in a video posted to social media on Thursday, accusing his political opponents of pursuing a politically motivated campaign against him. “A disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies, has also dropped sham articles of impeachment against yours truly, just like they tried against President Trump twice,” Hegseth said. “It’s all about the politics of personal destruction – didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me.”
Secretary of defense Pete Hegseth attends Halloween on the South Lawn at the White House on 29 October 2026. Photograph: Gripas Yuri/ABACA/Shutterstock.