A Democrat Just Filed Impeachment Articles Against Pete Hegseth

Pete Hegseth Has A Problem: Trump Burned Through 4 Defense Secretaries in Term One. The Pattern Is Starting Again

Pete Hegseth was something of an unconventional choice to serve as secretary of defense.

Before his selection, Hegseth was best known as a Fox News host, although he had also led a couple of veterans groups. During Trump’s first term, Hegseth lobbied for leniency for soldiers accused of war crimes.

Hegseth’s confirmation process was tumultuous. It included the surfacing of a sexual assault allegation from years earlier and speculation that Hegseth’s drinking had been a concern at past jobs. Hegseth was ultimately confirmed, with three Republicans joining every Democrat in voting against his confirmation. Vice President J.D. Vance broke the tie to confirm Hegseth as the nation’s 29th secretary of defense in January 2025.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a teleconference with NFL players Aaron Jones and Elijah Higgins during their visit to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in Kuwait from the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 2, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)

Pete’s Pentagon

The secretary’s time at the Pentagon has been eventful, to say the least. It has included an unofficial name change to the Department of War, and of Hegseth’s title to “Secretary of War”—all in keeping with Hegseth’s longtime commitment to what he calls the “Warrior Ethos.”

In addition to unusual turnover at the Pentagon, Hegseth was involved in the “Signalgate” scandal, during which a journalist was accidentally added to a Signal chat where top officials discussed plans to strike the Houthis in Yemen. Hegseth has taken various steps to eliminate what he calls “wokeness” from the military— including tightening restrictions on beards—and he has eliminated fellowships at several top universities.

Last fall, the secretary summoned military leaders from around the world to Quantico for an address in which he demanded, among other things, higher fitness standards.

“Our number one job, of course, is to be strong so that we can prevent war in the first place,” Hegseth told the assembled military brass. “It’s called peace through strength. And as history teaches us, the only people who actually deserve peace are those who are willing to wage war to defend it.” This week, three top generals departed.

Hegseth’s tenure has also been marked by a lot of military action. There was that attack on the Houthis;  months of Caribbean boat strikes; the operation earlier this year to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro; the Operation Midnight Hammer attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities in the summer of 2025; and now, the full-on war with Iran that began in late February.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks during a reenlistment ceremony for Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Dakota Meyer in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 17, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)

It is the most recent war that has inspired one Democratic member of Congress to pursue the impeachment of the “Secretary of the War.”

Ansari’s Impeachment

Axios reported Monday that Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) announced she will introduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth, for “repeatedly violating his oath of office and his duty to the Constitution.”

Stated Ansari: “Hegseth’s reckless endangerment of U.S. service members and repeated war crimes … are grounds for impeachment and removal from office.”

Ansari has also called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked to remove the president from office, in reference to Trump’s “Praise be to Allah” post on Easter Sunday.

“The 25th Amendment exists for a reason; his Cabinet should use it. The fate of U.S. troops, the Iranian people, and the very foundation of our global system are at stake,” Ansari, who is of Iranian-American descent, said in that statement.

Neither action—an impeachment of Hegseth or an invocation of the 25th Amendment—is likely to get much traction. Democrats are the minority in both houses of Congress and lack the power to bring an impeachment resolution to the floor, let alone pass it. Removing a Cabinet secretary from power would also require a two-thirds vote in the Senate, which is highly unlikely to take place.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a bilateral exchange with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Feb. 7, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Madelyn Keech)

There’s no indication that Ansari’s resolution has the backing of the Democratic leadership. During Trump’s first year in office, House Democratic backbenchers introduced a number of no-shot impeachment resolutions but were persuaded by Democratic leadership to drop them. Both of Trump’s impeachments during his first presidency happened after Democrats took control of Congress.

It is also highly unlikely that a Cabinet packed with Trump loyalists would pursue the 25th Amendment—something that has never been invoked in history.

One scenario that’s a bit more likely is that Hegseth could leave his post for some other reason—most likely because the president pushes him out.

Tired of Pete?

With the recent jettisoning of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Trump has shown a renewed willingness to remove Cabinet secretaries—something that happened much more frequently in his first term.

Trump’s first Defense Secretary, James Mattis, resigned in early 2019 and was succeeded by three different acting secretaries. Mark Esper was removed shortly after the 2020 election, with Christopher Miller taking the job on an acting basis for the last weeks of the first Trump administration.

There have been occasional reports that Trump is tiring of Hegseth.

The Independent reported in December that Trump was “privately tiring” of his defense secretary, although “despite the challenges, officials indicate Trump may keep Hegseth due to his perceived loyalty and the potential difficulty of securing a new Senate confirmation for a replacement.”

This week, meanwhile, an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer by retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Thomas J. Raleigh stated that “vectors of displeasure” have formed around Hegseth. Those “vectors” would include Pentagon staff, NATO, and the Senate.

“Pete Hegseth will not be the secretary of defense much longer,” Raleigh wrote in the op-ed. “Hegseth might well deserve to be the president’s fall guy for a war that is going sideways, but to focus his dismissal on that would be a mistake. It would ignore the fundamental and institutional dimensions of the issue — the fact that he should never have been nominated for the post in the first place, let alone confirmed.”

About the Author: Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.