House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) declared on Sunday that he is a “hard yes” on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, sharpening the Democratic pushback against the Pentagon chief as the party prepares to take control of Congress.
In an interview with ABC News’s Jonathan Karl on This Week, Jeffries said: “I’m a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution. The so-called secretary of Defense has abused his power, undermined our national security and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran.” His comments come after Republicans in the House, including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), signaled they would introduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth, with Massie telling Karl he plans to do so.
Jeffries’s remarks follow a series of Democratic victories in the midterm elections that will hand the party control of both chambers in January. The incoming majority is expected to use its investigative and legislative powers to challenge the Trump administration’s agenda, including the ongoing military campaign in Iran.
The House minority leader’s position also echoes his earlier social media post on Thursday, in which he asked, “Why is Pete Hegseth still around?” That question came after Hegseth responded to impeachment chatter in a video posted to X, dismissing the effort as “sham articles of impeachment” driven by “a disgruntled, defeated congressman” and “all his Democrat allies.”
Hegseth, who has been a controversial figure since his nomination, accused Democrats of engaging in “political theater disguised as power” and trying to “destroy their opponents.” He drew parallels to the two impeachment attempts against President Trump, insisting that “didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me.”
The impeachment push is part of a broader Democratic strategy to confront the administration on multiple fronts. Democrats are also looking at using the power of the purse and the courts to check the executive branch, with some lawmakers floating similar action against Attorney General Blanche. However, not all Democrats are fully on board with an impeachment-first approach; Sen. Stewart has cautioned that the party should focus on governing rather than just pursuing impeachments.
Republicans, meanwhile, are grappling with their own internal divisions. House GOP members like Rep. Comer have said they have “a lot of questions” about Hegseth, even as the party’s leadership faces a contentious fight in the wake of the midterm losses. The GOP leadership battle has intensified, with some blaming Trump for the party’s setbacks.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Jeffries’s latest statement. Hegseth’s future remains uncertain as the new Congress prepares to convene, but the Democratic leader’s unequivocal support for impeachment signals that the defense secretary will face a tough confirmation battle—or worse—in the months ahead.
