Photo: Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images News / Getty Images
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has expressed strong support for impeaching Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. During an interview on ABC's "This Week," Jeffries stated he is a "hard yes" on the resolution to impeach Hegseth, citing abuse of power and undermining national security as reasons for his stance. Jeffries accused Hegseth of engineering a "reckless and costly war of choice in Iran," which he claims has increased prices for Americans and made the country less safe, according to ABC News.
Kentucky GOP Representative Thomas Massie has announced plans to introduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth. Massie's resolution includes eight articles, accusing Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution of 1973, among other offenses. Massie intends to reintroduce the resolution as early as Monday, which would require a vote within two legislative days, as reported by The Hill.
In response to the impeachment efforts, Hegseth posted a video on social media platform X, dismissing the articles as "sham" and comparing them to previous impeachment attempts against President Donald Trump. Hegseth stated, "It's all about the politics of personal destruction," and expressed confidence that the efforts would not succeed, similar to past attempts against President Trump.
Jeffries's comments come after Democrats secured victories in both the House and Senate in the recent midterm elections, potentially hindering the Trump administration's agenda. Jeffries, who is poised to become the next Speaker of the House, emphasized the need for accountability and criticized Hegseth as "the most unqualified secretary of defense in American history," according to NPR.
The House Judiciary and Oversight committees are expected to investigate alleged wrongdoing by the Trump administration. Jeffries highlighted the importance of addressing corruption and holding officials accountable, while also focusing on making life more affordable for Americans.