House Democrats Make Hegseth Their First Impeachment Target, Vote Expected Next Month
House Democrats are rallying behind impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with a floor vote likely next month while Republicans still control the chamber, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Party leaders and candidates in competitive districts have avoided committing to a third impeachment of President Trump if they flip the House, seeing it as potentially counterproductive. Hegseth is a target they can pursue now and again next year.
The House will vote on a Hegseth impeachment resolution filed by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky) when members return in mid-November, Punchbowl News reported. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries made the defense secretary a rally applause line this month.
“In the minority, we ran Pam Bondi out of town. In the minority, we ran Kristi Noem out of town. And I’m here to say one of the first things we’re going to do in the majority is run Pete Hegseth out of town!” Jeffries said in Pennsylvania.
On Trump himself, Jeffries was noncommittal. “We haven’t ruled anything in or ruled anything out,” he told Punchbowl.
The Massie resolution alleges, among other things, that Hegseth violated Congress’ war powers and carried out extrajudicial killings.
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“I 100% believe Pete Hegseth needs to be impeached and removed from office, because not only is he the worst secretary of defense in American history, he is a dangerous war criminal,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M.
Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., who represents a Trump-won district, said she is open to it. “If I were Pete Hegseth, I’d be worried,” she said, adding that she also hears “some Republicans” raising the idea.
Some Democrats are reluctant to back a measure drafted by a Republican before any investigation has been completed, making the Massie vote an early test of party support.
The Pentagon defended its chief. “Secretary Hegseth has slashed bureaucracy, unleashed innovation, and delivered for our warfighters every step of the way,” press secretary Kingsley Wilson said.
People familiar with the situation are skeptical Trump plans any change at the top of the Pentagon after the midterms. The president is known to like Hegseth personally.
Democrats are also mapping out post-election investigations, including reviving an oversight subcommittee on the House Armed Services Committee, Responsible Statecraft reported. Signalgate is among the controversies they plan to revisit.
A Pentagon inspector general report in December 2025 found Hegseth sent “sensitive, nonpublic, operational information” over Signal but concluded he had authority to classify or declassify it, so no crime was committed.
Even if the House impeaches Hegseth, removing him would take a two-thirds vote in the Senate. No Cabinet secretary has ever been convicted and removed by the Senate.
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