‘Immediate removal’: Pete Hegseth’s reign faces collapse as an Arizona Senator takes steps to impeach him
Time to go.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing the most serious threat to his tenure yet, as House Democrats officially filed six articles of impeachment against him on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The move, led by Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), marks the latest escalation in a months-long campaign to hold Hegseth accountable for what Democrats describe as war crimes, abuse of power, and reckless endangerment of U.S. troops and civilians.
The seven-page resolution, obtained by Axios, lays out a sweeping case against Hegseth, centering on U.S. military operations in Iran, the controversial “Signalgate” scandal, and allegations of politicizing the armed forces. While the impeachment effort has virtually no chance of passing in the current Congress, it solidifies Hegseth’s status as the latest lightning rod in the administration’s cabinet.
Democrats have previously targeted former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and former Attorney General Pam Bondi with similar impeachment pushes. Both Noem and Bondi were later removed from their posts.
The articles of impeachment paint a damning picture of Hegseth’s leadership
The first article accuses him of launching an “unauthorized war against Iran” without congressional approval, a move that Democrats argue recklessly endangered U.S. service members. It highlights the administration’s consideration of ground operations in Iran, which lawmakers say involved “extreme and unnecessary risk” to personnel.
The second article alleged violations of the Law of Armed Conflict, including the bombing of a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, and “double tap” strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats in the Caribbean. The resolution even cites Hegseth’s own words, “no quarter, no mercy for our enemies,” as evidence of conduct that violates the Geneva Conventions.
Signalgate, the scandal that erupted last year when The Atlantic editor Jeff Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal chat where Hegseth and other officials discussed strikes in Yemen, is the focus of the third article. Democrats argue that Hegseth’s “gross negligence” in handling classified information put U.S. personnel at risk.
The fourth article accuses him of obstructing congressional oversight by withholding details about military operations and civilian casualties in Iran, Venezuela, and other conflict zones. The fifth article takes aim at what Democrats describe as the politicization of the military, including “bogus investigations” into elected officials likely a reference to the Pentagon’s probe of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and policies that undermine the nonpartisan nature of the armed forces.
The final article is perhaps the broadest, accusing Hegseth of bringing “disrepute upon the United States and its armed forces.” It points to a laundry list of controversial policies, including the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, restrictions on transgender service members, and criticism of NATO. Taken together, the articles present Hegseth as a figure who has eroded public trust in the Pentagon and flouted both domestic and international law.
Hegseth’s team has dismissed the impeachment effort as a political stunt
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson called it “just another Democrat trying to make headlines” and insisted that the Department of War has “decisively and overwhelmingly achieved the President’s objectives in Iran.” She added that Hegseth “will continue to protect the homeland and project peace through strength.” But the pushback from Democrats suggests this fight is far from over.
Ansari, the lead sponsor of the resolution, has been a vocal critic of the administration’s Iran policy for months. The first Iranian-American Democrat elected to Congress, she has framed the conflict as both illegal and immoral.
On X earlier this month, she wrote, “Trump is escalating a devastating, illegal war, threatening massive war crimes and targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran. In the last 48 hours alone, the rhetoric has crossed every line. Pete Hegseth is complicit.” She followed up by announcing her intention to introduce articles of impeachment and calling for the invocation of the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office, per The Hill.
Ansari has argued that military strikes and regime change efforts would be catastrophic. In an interview with The Guardian last year, she called Trump’s threats “unpredictable” and “dangerous,” noting that his contradictory statements only escalated tensions. She has also pushed for alternative approaches, like advocating for unrestricted internet access in Iran and the release of political prisoners, rather than military action.
The timing of the impeachment push is no coincidence
Since the U.S. began strikes in Iran on February 28, the conflict has only intensified. The bombing of the school in Minab and strikes on civilian infrastructure, including a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island, drew international condemnation. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and other lawmakers have labeled the targeting of civilian sites as clear war crimes, but the administration has shown no signs of backing down.
Hegseth has stood firmly behind the administration’s approach. In the face of mounting criticism, he has defended the strikes as necessary to project U.S. strength and deter adversaries. But the impeachment articles suggest that Democrats are no longer willing to let his actions go unchallenged. With eight co-sponsors and support from progressive groups like MoveOn and Indivisible, the resolution signals a coordinated effort to hold Hegseth accountable.
This isn’t the first time Hegseth has faced such threats. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) filed articles against him in December, though the effort never gained traction. This time, however, the stakes feel higher. The conflict in Iran has dragged on for months, and public opinion on the war remains deeply divided. Ansari’s leadership, combined with her personal connection to Iran, has given the impeachment push a sense of urgency that previous efforts lacked.
(Featured image: Gage Skidmore)
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