Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth will face an exhausting battle with members of Congress from both parties who are determined to hold him accountable for the war with Iran and other problems after next week's U.S. midterm elections. Bloomberg reports, writes UNN.
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Lawmakers ranging from House Representative Hakeem Jeffries to Republican Thom Tillis have made it clear that they plan to focus attention on Hegseth, seeking to hold him accountable for U.S. President Donald Trump's war with Iran.
These threats include a new impeachment effort against the defense secretary, led by Republican Representative Thomas Massie. They underscore that all Democrats and a growing number of Republicans view Hegseth as a vulnerable representative of Trump.
Hegseth has been the subject of close scrutiny by members of both parties since the day Trump nominated him. His relationship with Congress has only worsened after aggressive congressional hearings and accusations that he refused to share information about the cost of the war. He also fired dozens of generals and admirals with virtually no explanation and announced that he would livestream an execution by firing squad before Trump rejected the plan.
Even Republicans are frustrated by what they say is the Pentagon's refusal to give them answers about an unpopular war that has driven up fuel prices and contributed to predictions that Democrats could gain control of both chambers of Congress.
"Pete Hegseth started this job with no room for error," said Republican strategist Lisa Camuso Miller. "Hegseth came from the Fox News studio and had never built a network of contacts on Capitol Hill. In Washington, relationships are your insurance policy. He never bought one."
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"As a result of this war, 21 American service members have been killed and more than 850 wounded," said Democratic Senator Jack Reed, who will chair the Senate Armed Services Committee if Democrats gain control of the chamber next year. "Trump and Hegseth have cost the American people nearly $50 billion in military spending and inflicted billions of dollars in damage to Americans' financial well-being."
Republican Representative Austin Scott, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, turned against Hegseth after he fired General Randy George, who was serving at the time as Army chief of staff.
"If our top generals are removed from their positions without sufficient grounds for providing honest and objective advice, which, as I have always known, General George always did, I fear that this will have a devastating impact on other officers," he said during tense hearings.
Massie, a critic of Trump who lost a primary after the president endorsed his opponent, led efforts to impeach Hegseth for conducting the conflict against Iran without congressional authorization.
In mid-September, Massie introduced a resolution to impeach Hegseth that provided for a vote. Massie said he would introduce it again when the House resumes work after the midterm elections, when more Republican members could become "lame ducks" and be less concerned about defying the White House.
"Impeachment attempts will be inevitable, and Hegseth is probably the best option," said Matt Bennett, executive vice president for public affairs at Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank.
Jeffries was more direct, saying at a rally that Democrats would "run Pete Hegseth out of town" if they won a majority. Hegseth further angered Democrats with his campaign to demote Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain and former fighter pilot, after he and other veteran lawmakers called on officers to refuse unlawful orders.
The publication writes that Hegseth’s continued support from Trump works in his favor. A White House official said that the administration fully expects Hegseth to become a target of the next Congress—and that he is not concerned about it. Hegseth’s standing with Trump improved when he made it through the contentious confirmation process.
"He is doing an excellent job," Trump told reporters on Thursday. "He is a great warrior. I think he is the best at his job in many, many years, and a lot of people agree with us."
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell responded to questions about Hegseth’s future, saying that the U.S. Department of Defense is "solely focused on peace through strength and ensuring that our military has everything it needs to succeed."
Once the new Congress is formed, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives will likely approve articles of impeachment—the legal equivalent of an indictment—but a Senate trial will likely fail because a two-thirds majority of members present is required, the publication writes. Bennett noted that it was unlikely enough Republicans would vote for removal, "so it will be another exercise in sending a message rather than actually getting rid of him."
If he is not impeached, Hegseth could face close scrutiny as part of investigations that Democrats have threatened into defense-sector contractors that received investments from Donald Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm, 1789 Capital, or into the equity stakes the United States acquired in new shipyards and other contracts.
Retiring North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis called his decisive vote during Hegseth’s confirmation in 2025 the "biggest regret" of his career. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, a Republican, has also expressed frustration over the department’s lack of communication regarding key decisions.
A Quinnipiac University poll last month found that only 32% of registered voters approved of Hegseth’s performance as defense secretary, while 57% disapproved. Among independents, 65% disapproved, and 56% of voters expressed little or no confidence in his military leadership.
"The risk for Hegseth is that his detractors seem more enraged than his supporters," said Seb Ryd, head of research at PF Global.
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