World

Jeffries Supports Hegseth Impeachment Resolution Amid New Congressional Majorities

By Subhadra Srivastava

US House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he supports a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which Republican Representative Thomas Massie plans to introduce. Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Jeffries called Hegseth’s conduct a misuse of power, a threat to national security, and the cause of a costly war in Iran that has raised prices for Americans. He said Democrats would discuss the proposal when they reconvene on Tuesday and that they intend to end the Iran conflict once they take control of Congress in January.

Hegseth responded to the impeachment push in a video, calling it “all about the politics of personal destruction” and saying it “won’t work with me,” according to CNN.

The impeachment effort comes as Democrats prepare investigations into the Trump administration after their midterm election victories. Representative Robert Garcia, who is expected to chair the House Oversight Committee in the next Congress, said he is preparing inquiries into what he calls the “Trump crime family.” Trump described the requests already made by Democrats as “extortion at the highest level” and said they should be held accountable. Attorney General Todd Blanche warned that criminal investigations of Democrats were possible.

Some Democrats have cautioned against letting investigations and impeachment dominate their agenda. Senator‑elect Adam Hamilton said he was “not as interested in impeachment as setting up guardrails,” while independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, warned that they must also focus on working‑class families.

CNN reported that Democratic Representative‑elect Nancy Lacore, whom Hegseth removed as chief of the Navy Reserve in August 2025, called him the nation’s “most unqualified” defense secretary. Lacore said he has caused significant damage to the country, put the military at risk, and damaged readiness. She linked the impeachment debate to the Iran conflict, saying the U.S. needs to “end this war because that has driven up costs extraordinarily high across the district and the country.”