Growing calls to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are putting pressure on Republicans as they fight to maintain their narrow majorities in Congress ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections. Historically, an unpopular president’s party loses seats in midterms. President Donald Trump’s approval ratings, combined with voter frustration over the economy, have created a difficult climate for Republicans two years after his 2024 election victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris.
While a Democratic takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives is not guaranteed, gaining control of the chamber would significantly strengthen the party’s ability to pursue impeachment against Hegseth. Without Republican support, initial impeachment efforts in the current GOP-controlled House have struggled to gain traction.
A House impeachment would trigger a Senate trial, where conviction and removal would require a two-thirds majority, meaning it would need backing from some Republicans. Trump, meanwhile, staunchly defended Hegseth on Thursday, insisting he has done a "great job" with his sweeping changes to the U.S. military and dismissed the demands for impeachment as "terrible." However, some Democrats have made Hegseth’s removal a top goal. Representative Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said Sunday on CBS News' Face the Nation that ousting Hegseth from the Pentagon was his "priority number one" if Democrats retake the House.
Democrats have focused their criticism on Hegseth’s handling of the Iran war and a strike campaign against suspected drug vessels that has killed at least 240 people. Meanwhile, some Republicans like Representatives Mike Rogers of Alabama and Dusty Johnson of South Dakota have expressed concern over internal friction at the Pentagon and questioned whether Hegseth’s dismissal of senior military officials has harmed readiness. Hegseth is the "lowest hanging fruit because of the animosity that seems to be both from Republican and Democratic senators and staff," an unnamed Democratic aide told CNN on Friday, though significant doubts remain about whether the Senate would ever convict him.
If Democrats win the House, passing articles of impeachment becomes more plausible. Yet opinion within the party remains divided. Some lawmakers say that Democratic control would be better spent conducting high-profile oversight hearings, while others expect Trump may ultimately fire Hegseth himself.
The threat of congressional action is weighing on some lawmakers. The prospect of impeachment is "probably being taken more seriously privately than people realize," a Republican House staffer told Newsweek, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The Pentagon has been contacted for comment via email.
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