House Republicans Move to Impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

House Republicans plan to vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as soon as next week. The move follows the party's heavy losses in Tuesday's midterm elections. Lawmakers say Hegseth played a central role in pushing President Donald Trump to launch military action against Iran.

The push for accountability began immediately after the election results were announced. Many Republican allies expressed alarm over the scale of the defeat. They argue that the war in Iran was a primary factor in voter dissatisfaction. Strategists within both the House and Senate acknowledge that the party's problems went beyond the conflict. However, party leaders are reluctant to blame Trump directly for the outcome.

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky intends to trigger the impeachment vote when Congress returns. Multiple sources within the party expect the measure to pass. Hegseth served as a vocal supporter of the war effort. Critics claim he oversold the United States' ability to win the conflict quickly. They argue he continued advocating for escalation even as signs of a quick victory faded. The conflict has since become a prolonged engagement in the Middle East.

Vice President JD Vance addressed the election results on Wednesday. He stated that the reason for the loss was the war. He did not assign specific blame to any individual official. A former senior Pentagon official noted that the political pivot is starting with Hegseth. The official described the effort as primarily led by the Department of War. This was because the administration chose military action to resolve a foreign policy matter.

President Trump has not yet shaken his confidence in Hegseth. White House officials say the president personally likes the defense secretary. Trump told aides recently that Hegseth should fight back against impeachment efforts. One official recalled a conversation from two days ago. Trump told Hegseth in that meeting that he was the best guy he had. The president may also want to keep Hegseth if he plans additional strikes against Iran. A new Democratic majority in the Senate could complicate the confirmation of new cabinet appointees.

When asked about Hegseth's job status on Wednesday, Trump denied plans to fire him. He said the defense secretary was doing a very good job. Trump added that if he had the decision to go to war again, he would make the same choice. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis criticized the prospect of Democratic investigations. She argued that pursuing such inquiries works against the American people. Some Republicans close to the White House view Hegseth as the logical target for responsibility.

Hegseth remains defiant in the face of congressional scrutiny. His team told CNN that he is prepared to own every policy decision made by the Pentagon. He expects to defend those moves in public hearings. Those hearings would likely become contentious if Democrats take control of Congress in January. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell issued a statement on behalf of the secretary. Parnell said Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking partisan points.

Parnell said the department will continue to drive the president's agenda. He added that Hegseth is fully committed to leading the department until the end of Trump's term. Massie noted that the election failure was not caused by a single issue. He said the loss was avoidable if the party had broken away from strict adherence to Trump. Hegseth has discussed potential future ambitions with allies. Some of those discussions include running for office in Tennessee. Closest to Trump do not believe that is an immediate goal for the defense secretary.