Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who lost a primary challenge backed by former President Donald Trump, has initiated a move to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Massie announced his intention on the House floor Tuesday, accusing Hegseth of "high crimes and misdemeanors" related to ongoing military actions in Iran. Massie is employing a procedural tactic known as a privileged resolution, which bypasses committee review and forces a floor vote.
This is not the first time Massie has used this procedure. He previously utilized a similar method to force a vote on the release of the Epstein Files, resisting pressure from Republican leadership to drop the initiative.
The resolution comes amid criticism from Democrats regarding Hegseth's handling of the Iran conflict, alleged involvement in the "SignalGate scandal," and actions in the Caribbean. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., stated that Hegseth "should be impeached" due to initiating "an illegal and costly war in Iran which we are losing" and reportedly ordering "the killing of fishermen in the Caribbean."
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a member of House committees overseeing the CIA and Pentagon, indicated that Hegseth "has got to go" and that Democrats "won’t hesitate to use every tool available to hold the Defense Secretary accountable." Other lawmakers have labeled Hegseth "incompetent" and "unfit" for his role, accusing him of politicizing the Pentagon, dismissing experienced generals, and compromising service members through the "reckless" dissemination of classified information.
Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, called Hegseth an "unqualified, narcissistic, wannabe Chief of War" and suggested he should face domestic and global charges for alleged "crimes against humanity."
Public opinion, as reflected in a Quinnipiac Poll, shows Hegseth with a 57 percent disapproval rating compared to 32 percent approval. His net approval rating has declined since the outset of the Iran conflict.
In May, Hegseth made a public appearance in Massie's district to endorse Ed Gallrein, who challenged Massie in the Republican primary. During his campaign against Massie, Hegseth stated he was speaking as a "private citizen" but criticized Massie for acting "apart from the movement that President Trump leads" and for "constant obstruction."
Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson defended Hegseth's tenure, stating that under his and President Trump's leadership, the Department of War has seen improvements in standards, merit, arsenal strength, morale, and recruitment. Wilson asserted that "by every measurable metric, the Department of War is better under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s leadership than before."
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has been a controversial figure since taking office. Democrats, if they maintain or gain control of the House in the upcoming elections, would have the power to subpoena Trump administration officials. This would allow them to bring officials before Congress for testimony, a process that could include impeachment proceedings.
The Daily Mail reported that Trump had reportedly expressed anger at Hegseth over a military munition shortage issue during a July Cabinet meeting at Camp David. Some sources have accused Hegseth of being "incompetent" and "unfit" to serve as secretary.