Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has asked Pete Hegseth to step down, promising he would not reintroduce the impeachment effort if he did so, as pressure mounted on the Secretary of War after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in midterm elections amid anger over the Iran war. Hegseth, a polarising figure in US politics, has spawned adversaries even within his own Republican Party.
In September, Massie filed articles of impeachment against Hegseth, a major proponent of the war. Massie accused Hegseth of abusing his office by launching hostilities against Iran without Congress’s approval. Trump’s backing came even as Vice President JD Vance questioned whether the Iran war was worth it.
In 2006, then-President George Bush sacked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld the day after the midterm elections as Democrats won control of Congress amid discontent over the Iraq war. Tillis added Hegseth’s strained relationship with lawmakers was undermining the Trump administration’s push for a $1.5 trillion defense spending package in Congress. Tillis said they need to determine whether Hegseth is the best person to bring those needs to Congress if he wants something done before the end of this Congress, 60 days away.
Vance said the war cost Republicans control of Congress.
Trump previously described Hegseth as a champion of the war. In an X post on Wednesday, Massie said: “There is one contingency in which I won’t reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns. US President Donald Trump backed Hegseth on Wednesday, saying he is doing a very good job. On Tuesday, Republican US Senator Thom Tillis told CBS News that Hegseth has a reckoning coming.
“What that means is every representative will have to stand and be counted and say, ‘Do you support this absolute clown who’s gotten us into this war, failed to get us out of it, driven up costs for everyone, and killed American troops? Please sign up at firehegseth.com. Make your voice heard, put pressure on your representative, put pressure on every representative to do the right thing for the American people, end this war, protect our troops, and impeach Pete Hegseth,” he posted on X.
Ryan said when Congress gets back next week, there will be a privileged resolution vote for Hegseth’s impeachment.
