WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is fighting to maintain his post as pressure mounts on Capitol Hill for his impeachment following heavy Republican losses in the midterm elections, CNN and CBS News reported.
The electoral rout, largely driven by voter dissatisfaction with the ongoing conflict with Iran and surging fuel prices, has left President Donald Trump facing incoming Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate. Behind the scenes, Trump has consulted advisers about whether Hegseth should remain in his Cabinet, CBS News reported, even as the president publicly asserted that the Pentagon chief was doing a “fantastic job.”
Impeachment threat looms in the House
Efforts to remove Hegseth are accelerating ahead of the lame-duck legislative session. Outgoing Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who lost a primary race after Trump backed his opponent, has pledged to introduce articles of impeachment in the House, according to CNN.
With Democrats poised to take over congressional majorities in January, Hegseth faces mounting bipartisan resistance. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries publicly questioned Hegseth’s continued tenure, while outgoing North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis openly expressed doubts about the secretary’s effectiveness. Tillis told CNN that Hegseth is “just not the right guy for the job” and warned that committee leaders find him disengaged as the administration tries to pass a $1.5 trillion defense budget.
Internal administration tensions have surfaced as well. Vice President JD Vance attributed the midterm defeat to the conflict, writing on social media, “The reason we lost is the war.” CBS News reported that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been discussed by some advisers as a potential replacement who could be confirmed during the lame-duck Senate session before his gubernatorial term concludes on Jan. 5.
Controversy over promotional video
Seeking to counter the backlash, Hegseth released a five-minute video recorded on the Pentagon steps that echoed Trump’s rhetoric and attacked political opponents, declaring, “We Stand, We Fight.” Hegseth’s office confirmed that Department of Defense personnel produced the video, The Washington Post reported.
Government watchdog groups immediately argued the release breached multiple federal statutes. Donald K. Sherman, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told The Washington Post that using public resources for self-praise and political rhetoric violated prohibitions on propaganda and lobbying, as well as the Hatch Act, which restricts partisan political activities by executive branch officials.
“You’re conducting a war right now, and then you’re reacting as if you’re on Fox News,” Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego told CNN, adding that Hegseth had “doubled down and asked for an impeachment.” Tillis also rebuked the video on social media, warning that Cabinet secretaries should not spend public funds on campaign-style messaging and comparing the move to actions that preceded the departure of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson rejected the criticism, telling The Daily Beast that critics were targeting Hegseth because he refused to back down from supporting service members. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly maintained that Trump retains “full confidence” in Hegseth, highlighting his defense leadership and policy changes.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Washington, where the House is expected to consider impeachment measures against Hegseth, while the administration decides whether to maintain its defense leadership ahead of a divided Congress.
