Nicolai Haugsted
Trump’s defense secretary faces eight impeachment charges as lawmakers accuse him of abusing his power
Donald Trump’s second administration is facing a growing political rebellion over the war in Iran, with last week’s devastating midterm election results exposing deep divisions within the Republican Party.
The conflict has already cost the president considerable political support, and criticism is now reaching some of the most powerful figures in his administration.
For Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the consequences could be particularly serious, according to Reuters.
The former television personality has spent much of his time at the Pentagon presenting himself as a military hardliner, embracing the title of secretary of war and promising to transform an institution he previously criticized as too weak and overly concerned with being “woke.”
But his aggressive approach has also made him a target for lawmakers who believe the administration has exceeded its constitutional authority.
Now, Hegseth is facing the possibility of becoming only the second civilian leader of the American military to be impeached in the country’s history.
And the effort to remove him is being led not by a Democrat, but by a member of Trump’s own party.
A Republican launches the impeachment offensive
Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday, accusing the defense secretary of serious abuses of power.
Among the most significant allegations is that Hegseth helped wage war against Iran without the congressional authorization required under the Constitution.
The resolution also raises concerns about his conduct toward political opponents and his handling of military leadership.
Massie’s decision sets a procedural process in motion that could bring the impeachment resolution before the House of Representatives within two days.
However, the Kentucky Republican warned that party leaders might attempt to prevent lawmakers from voting directly on the accusations.
“They may try to get out of an actual vote on the substance of this. We should have a vote and a rigorous debate on these eight articles of impeachment,” Massie told reporters.
According to congressional sources cited by Reuters, the proposal could attract enough support to pass the House despite Republicans retaining control of the chamber until January 3.
Democrats will take over following their victory in last week’s midterm elections.
Should the House approve the resolution, Hegseth would become only the second civilian head of the American military to face impeachment.
Removing him from office, however, would require a separate Senate conviction supported by a two-thirds majority.
With Republicans currently holding 53 of the Senate’s 100 seats, that outcome appears considerably less likely.
Trump lashes out at the Republican behind the effort
The president has made it clear that he has no intention of abandoning his defense secretary.
Speaking to Reuters on Monday, Trump defended Hegseth by pointing to American military operations in Iran and Venezuela.
“Well, he won two wars. I don’t know how you can impeach him,” Trump said.
The president’s characterization of the Iran campaign as a victory comes despite the conflict remaining unresolved after more than eight months.
Trump also praised the administration’s military operation in Venezuela, where American forces removed President Nicolás Maduro during a surprise commando raid in January.
Later, during a White House press conference, Trump promised to continue supporting Hegseth even if the House votes to impeach him.
He also directed his anger toward Massie, dismissing the Republican congressman as a “stone-cold loser.”
Trump questioned why previous American military leaders had not faced similar consequences for prolonged conflicts.
“Well, what about impeaching the people from Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and all of that, where we fought forever and nothing happened?” he asked.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also criticized the impeachment effort.
Johnson argued that pursuing impeachment “in the middle of hostilities abroad” would be “a terrible thing for our allies and our enemies to see.”
The Republican leadership’s opposition suggests that the coming vote could become another test of party loyalty at a particularly difficult moment for the administration.
Hegseth insists he has nothing to fear
Despite the mounting pressure, Hegseth has shown little interest in stepping aside.
Instead, the defense secretary has launched a public campaign defending his record and criticizing the impeachment effort.
In a video posted on social media last week, Hegseth promised that he would not back down.
He also compared his situation with Trump’s previous impeachment battles.
“It didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me,” Hegseth declared.
Asked Monday whether he had enough Republican support to survive the challenge, Hegseth appeared unconcerned.
“We’re not worried about that,” he said.
The defense secretary has also scheduled a Pentagon press conference for Tuesday, his first at the department since May.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as the White House national security adviser, has joined the administration’s defense of Hegseth.
Rubio described the impeachment attempt as “unfair.”
“I think Pete’s done a good job. I really do,” he told reporters.
Their statements underline the White House’s determination to portray the proceedings as a political attack rather than a legitimate response to alleged misconduct.
However, the possibility of Republican defections in the House presents a complication that cannot simply be dismissed.
A political ghost from 1876 returns to Washington
Hegseth’s predicament has an unusual historical parallel.
Nearly 150 years ago, Secretary of War William Belknap became the first civilian leader of the American military to be impeached.
Belknap served under President Ulysses S. Grant and faced accusations of receiving substantial kickbacks through a corrupt arrangement.
In 1876, as impeachment proceedings approached, Belknap resigned from office.
According to the Senate’s historical account, he “burst into tears” while submitting his resignation.
His departure did not prevent the House from voting to impeach him.
The Senate subsequently acquitted Belknap after the vote fell short of the two-thirds majority required for conviction.
No other civilian head of the American military has been impeached since.
Hegseth, who has embraced the historic title of secretary of war, now risks joining Belknap in that exclusive and rather unfortunate chapter of American political history.
Unlike his nineteenth-century predecessor, however, Hegseth is promising to fight rather than resign.
Democrats are preparing a much bigger investigation
The immediate impeachment vote may only be the beginning of Hegseth’s political difficulties.
Democrats are preparing to take control of Congress in January, giving them considerably greater authority to investigate the administration.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has already made his position clear.
Asked Sunday whether he supported impeaching Hegseth, Jeffries described himself as a “hard yes.”
Senator Chuck Schumer, who is expected to become Senate majority leader, has also demanded that Hegseth face a trial.
“Hegseth waged this war illegally, in open defiance of the Constitution and multiple War Powers Resolutions this Congress passed to end the fighting,” Schumer said Monday.
His accusation reflects the broader Democratic argument that the administration has conducted the Iran campaign without respecting Congress’s constitutional role in authorizing military action.
Democrats have also promised to examine Hegseth’s dismissal of senior military officials, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Those investigations could involve hearings, requests for documents and testimony from officials involved in controversial Pentagon decisions.
Massie has warned that Hegseth may face far more extensive scrutiny once the new Congress takes office.
In a statement Monday, he suggested that impeachment would be “much gentler” than the investigations Democrats are preparing.
“They will hold hearings and trials. President Trump should replace Secretary Hegseth now while he can still get a replacement confirmed in the Senate,” Massie said.
The warning carries additional weight because it comes from a Republican who has repeatedly challenged Trump and is leaving Congress in January.
Another controversy involving a Democratic senator
The allegations against Hegseth extend beyond the Iran war.
Massie’s impeachment resolution also accuses the defense secretary of violating the free speech rights of Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.
The dispute dates back to last year, when Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds publicly urged American service members to refuse unlawful orders.
Hegseth accused the lawmakers of sedition and sought to pursue legal action against Kelly.
Trump subsequently intensified the controversy with a social media post describing the alleged conduct as “punishable by DEATH!”
The episode generated serious concerns about the administration’s treatment of political dissent and the rights of elected officials to criticize government decisions.
Massie’s resolution now places that confrontation alongside the Iran war as part of the case against Hegseth.
The accusations remain allegations contained in the impeachment articles, rather than findings established by a court or congressional trial.
A $1.5 trillion defense plan could become collateral damage
The political dispute also threatens to complicate one of the administration’s major spending priorities.
Trump’s government is seeking congressional support for a defense spending package worth approximately $1.5 trillion.
Some Republican lawmakers are concerned that Hegseth’s increasingly strained relationship with Congress could undermine efforts to secure the necessary votes.
The situation is particularly sensitive because the administration will soon have to negotiate with a Democratic-controlled Congress.
A defense secretary facing impeachment proceedings, congressional investigations and accusations of constitutional misconduct may find it difficult to build the political relationships needed to advance such an ambitious spending proposal.
Meanwhile, the Iran war continues to divide Republicans.
Vice President JD Vance has publicly questioned the political consequences of the conflict, while Hegseth has defended the campaign as “courageous and historic.”
Last week’s election results have only intensified that disagreement.
