Pete Hegseth impeachment backed by US Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries

• Hakeem Jeffries backed impeaching Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying he abused power and harmed US national security.
• House Democrats plan to discuss a resolution on Nov 10, while Republican Thomas Massie also plans to reintroduce impeachment articles over the Iran war.
• The push has grown after Republican losses in the midterms, but Donald Trump says Hegseth has done a “good job” and will not be replaced.

WASHINGTON – House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries backed impeaching US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, saying he is a “hard yes” on a measure that may be introduced as soon as this week.

“The so-called Secretary of Defence 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 on Nov 8 on ABC’s This Week.

House Democrats plan to discuss the potential resolution on Nov 10 when they convene for the first time since winning both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections, he said. 

The effort to oust the Pentagon chief has gained steam on both sides of the aisle since the midterm elections, as the Iran war Hegseth championed helped lead to a broad defeat for Republicans on Nov 3.

Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie, who will leave Congress after a primary defeat to a challenger backed by President Donald Trump, said last week that he will “definitely” reintroduce articles of impeachment when the House reconvenes.

Massie, a frequent critic of Trump, tried to impeach Hegseth at the start of the conflict for waging the Iran war without congressional approval.

Trump has said he has no plans to replace Hegseth, saying the secretary has done a “good job”.  

He renewed his praise of the Pentagon chief on Nov 8, telling reporters in Florida that Hegseth was crucial to “basically winning two wars” – the conflict with Iran and the US military action that removed Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro from power.

“And what are we going to do with one of the guys that was most responsible? They want to impeach him,” Trump said.

Massie suggested on Nov 5 that Trump fire Hegseth quickly so the Republican-controlled Senate can confirm his successor before Democrats take control in January.

Jeffries on Nov 8 said he believes “there will be incredibly strong support for that resolution”.

“Pete Hegseth has got to go,” the New York Democrat said. 

Representative French Hill, a Republican from Arkansas, said it would be up to Trump to remove Hegseth as Pentagon chief.

“If he’s not conducting his mission in the right way, then the President ought to make a change there,” Hill said on CBS’ Face the Nation.

“The question is, are we leading at the Pentagon in the right or not the right way. That’s very separate from whether or not somebody’s committed an impeachable offence.” BLOOMBERG