Jeffries Backs Hegseth Impeachment Vote

One House member's backing of an impeachment resolution could be the difference between passage and failure for a bid to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader from New York, said he supports the effort "without a doubt." The resolution, introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, is expected to reach the House floor for a vote this week as Congress returns to session.

Jeffries made his position clear during an interview on ABC's "This Week." When asked if he would stand behind Massie's push to impeach Hegseth, Jeffries confirmed his support. "I strongly support the resolution against Hegseth," Jeffries stated. He accused the Secretary of abusing his power and undermining national security. Jeffries also criticized the administration's decision to launch a "reckless and expensive war" in Iran, arguing that the conflict has raised prices for Americans and made the country less safe. "Pete Hegseth has to go," he added.

Massie has been a vocal critic of Hegseth and the Iran conflict. He originally filed the impeachment resolution in September, but Republican leaders canceled scheduled votes before the House suspended its activities early, delaying the measure until after the midterm elections. Voters had evaluated the administration's handling of the war negatively, a factor that influenced the election results. Massie noted in a social media post that his resolution is a "much gentler version" of what would occur if Democrats controlled Congress, suggesting they would pursue "hearings and trials."

Hegseth has pushed back against the impeachment effort. In a video shared on social media last week, he called Massie a "resented and defeated congressman." "All of this is about the politics of personal destruction," Hegseth said in the video. He claimed the strategy did not work against President Donald Trump and would not work against him either. Hegseth also posted a message on November 5 stating, "We Stand. We Fight. We Defend the Republic."

President Trump has publicly stated that Hegseth is "doing a very good job," despite reports that he told allies he was considering replacing him. Rep. Yassamin Ansari, a Democrat from Arizona, also introduced a resolution to impeach Hegseth in April. Sharing Jeffries' comments on Sunday, Ansari wrote that Hegseth "must be held accountable" and urged her colleagues to "bring this to the floor and vote on it this week."

Jeffries told ABC News that discussions regarding whether all House Democrats would support the resolution would take place on Tuesday morning. The resolution is expected to be introduced early in the week, followed by a vote on the House floor.