Republican Representative Thomas Massie plans to initiate an impeachment vote against US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when Congress resumes work next week, according to CNN. The move comes as Republicans seek to assign responsibility for the war in Iran following their losses in the November 3 congressional midterm elections.
Massie, who represents Kentucky and is known for criticizing Donald Trump, said he would begin the effort to remove Hegseth as soon as lawmakers return to Washington. Several Republican sources told CNN they expected the initiative to pass the House of Representatives. European Pravda reported CNN's account.
CNN linked the growing pressure on the Pentagon chief to what it described as historic Republican failures in the midterms. According to the report, the election outcome has accelerated efforts within the party to place responsibility for the Iran conflict on Hegseth, with lawmakers privately connecting his advocacy of the war to their electoral losses.
Many lawmakers have argued behind the scenes that Hegseth was central to persuading Trump to attack Iran without an exit strategy or a plan to deal with the consequences. Those accusations form part of the effort to blame the defense secretary for the election results, according to CNN's reporting.
Several Republicans also told CNN that Hegseth, an active supporter of the war, had overstated the United States' ability to secure a quick and easy victory. They accused him of continuing to press for escalation even though, in their assessment, prolonged bombardments had shown no signs of bringing Iran closer to capitulation.
The Pentagon rejected the criticism. Chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth "will not back down or be deterred" by politicians whom he accused of pursuing partisan advantage or launching investigations without evidence of wrongdoing. A House vote alone would not remove Hegseth from office. Removal through impeachment would also require support from two-thirds of senators.
Trump told reporters on November 4 that he was not considering replacing Hegseth. His remarks followed media reports alleging that, after the Republican midterm defeat, he had asked advisers in person and by telephone whether the defense secretary should remain in his position.
