Pressure is mounting on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from both sides of the political aisle, with Republican Representative Thomas Massie preparing to force a House impeachment vote as soon as next week and Democrats promising further scrutiny when they take control of Congress in January. The latest criticism came Friday from Republican Representative James Comer, who questioned Hegseth's leadership and the Trump administration's strategy in Iran, saying there were growing concerns among Republican voters about the conflict. Speaking to NewsNation, the House Oversight Committee chairman was asked whether Democrats could introduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth as soon as next week and whether he wanted to see someone new leading the Pentagon.
"That's going to be a decision that President Trump's going to have to make," Comer said. "But I can tell you with a high level of confidence that there are a lot of questions about Hegseth." Comer's comments come as Hegseth faces mounting questions about his future following Republicans' losses in the midterm elections, with the Iran war emerging as a major political issue for the administration. Newsweek reached out to the White House and Department of Defense for comment.
Massie, a Kentucky Republican, intends to bring his impeachment resolution back to the House floor when lawmakers return next week. He announced he plans to trigger a vote on Monday or Tuesday. The resolution contains eight articles of impeachment, including allegations concerning Hegseth's handling of the Iran war, the administration's use of military force without congressional authorization, and other military operations.
Massie has accused Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution and disregarding congressional authority over military action. Comer said, "We have no idea what the strategy is moving forward in Iran. No one's happy about Iran." Comer said dissatisfaction with the conflict was particularly pronounced among Republican voters, including longtime supporters of President Donald Trump.
"I think the Republican voters are more upset about what's going on in Iran than the Democrat voters," he said. Vice President JD Vance also linked the Republican defeat to the conflict, writing on X on Wednesday: "The reason we lost is the war." The Kentucky congressman has also criticized Hegseth over the firing of senior military officials and his handling of sensitive military information. In a post on X on Friday, Massie directly addressed the defense secretary, writing, "This is about you: the incompetence you've displayed, the bad advice you've given to president, and your shameful and embarrassing episodes from firing our top generals to texting war plans to reporters." Massie also said his impeachment resolution was a more limited effort than what Democrats could pursue once they take control of Congress.
"If Trump's going to replace appointees like Hegseth, he should do it while he can still get the replacements confirmed in the Senate," Massie wrote Thursday. He added that his resolution was "a much gentler version of what's coming when Dem's control Congress. They'll have hearings & trials." Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies White House staffing and turnover, told Newsweek Friday that Trump may be forced to consider removing Hegseth to limit the political fallout when Democrats take control of Congress.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
