Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) stated that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent video defending the Iran war was so unprofessional that it was effectively an "ask for impeachment." CNN's Jake Tapper, moderating the conversation, assured Gallego that he could "swear" if he felt the need.
Hegseth released the video after Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) threatened to introduce articles of impeachment against him. In the video, Hegseth criticized the impeachment threat, calling it "sham articles" from "disgruntled, defeated congressman" and their Democratic allies, similar to accusations made against President Trump. Hegseth defended the Iran war as a "courageous and historic effort that will ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon."
Gallego, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, argued that Hegseth's video was more akin to a Fox News pundit than a secretary of defense during wartime. He accused Hegseth of preventing congressional oversight of the war by withholding information and engaging in "partisan games."
The lawmaker suggested that Hegseth's actions were contributing to his own downfall, noting that even Republican senators who support President Trump were becoming frustrated by the lack of transparency regarding the war. While Gallego expressed confidence in House support for impeachment, he considered Senate approval challenging, though not impossible given the political climate following the midterm elections, which many attributed to the unpopularity of the Iran war.
The Washington Post reported that President Trump may be considering removing senior military officials, such as Gen. Dan Caine or Adm. Brad Cooper, amid criticism of the war's impact on the midterm election results.