Congress Launches Bipartisan Effort to Oust Secretary Pete Hegseth

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing a bipartisan effort in Congress to remove him from office following the upcoming midterm elections. Lawmakers from both parties, including Representative Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Thom Tillis, are targeting Hegseth to hold the administration accountable for President Donald Trump's war in Iran. Representative Thomas Massie is leading a new effort to impeach the secretary, as many legislators now view Hegseth as a vulnerable proxy for the president.

This political escalation follows a legislative deadlock over a record-breaking $1.5 trillion defense budget intended to fund the conflict in Iran. While the National Defense Authorization Act passed the House in the summer, it has stalled in the Senate Armed Services Committee. Democrats are actively blocking the bill to pressure the administration, while congressional insiders describe Hegseth's relationship with Capitol Hill as combative and adversarial.

The struggle occurs against a backdrop of falling approval ratings for President Trump and expectations of a blue wave in the midterms. Some Republican lawmakers have warned Hegseth that his adversarial approach would make it difficult for him to secure Senate confirmation again should he seek to remain in his post.