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In 250 years, US has impeached only 2 cabinet secretaries; Pete Hegseth could be the third
The impeachment resolution comes after Republicans lost their stronghold in the US Congress after the midterm elections.
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A fresh effort has been made in the US Congress to impeach secretary of defence Pete Hegseth. In the resolution moved by Republican Representative Thomas Massie, Hegseth has been accused of committing impeachable acts, which include his handling of the Iran war.
The resolution against Hegseth is Massie's second effort. The first, filed before the US midterm elections, was dismissed by Republican house speaker Mike Johnson.
In his fresh resolution on Monday, Massie said Hegseth has committed impeachable acts at least eight times since joining the Trump administration as the “secretary of war.”
Deep Dive
These acts include waging an unauthorised war with Iran, violations of the War Powers Resolution and allegations of military, and conduct abuse, including boat strikes in the Caribbean (which is an alleged war crime) and blocking the promotion of 50 officers selected for general or admiral rank. The former FOX News anchor has also been accused of ignoring laws designed to minimise civilian casualties, including in a strike on an Iranian school, and unlawfully kidnapping a foreign leader - Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.
The impeachment resolution comes after Republicans lost their stronghold in the US Congress after the crucial midterm elections, where Democrats washed the Congress blue by taking control of the Senate and House.
However, despite Democrats taking control of Congress, Republican lawmakers will remain in power until January. And a lot can happen till then.
Efforts will be made to thwart the resolution by keeping Hegseth in office, as the GOP remains divided on the Iran war. According to Kentucky Rep. Massie, his resolution is a much "gentler" version of what awaits the former FOX News anchor once the Democrats are sworn-in in January 2027.
If the resolution is passed in Congress, Pete Hegseth would become the third cabinet secretary to be impeached in US history.
Have cabinet secretaries been impeached before?
In the 250 years of the United States of America, cabinet secretaries have been impeached only twice.
The first was in 1876 when distinguished Civil War veteran William Belknap, serving as former president Ulysses S. Grant’s secretary of war, was impeached amid a corruption scandal.
The veteran was charged with criminal disregard for his office and accepting payments in exchange for official appointments. Belknap resigned before the House could vote on his impeachment, but was impeached nonetheless. The Senate would later acquit him due to the Democrats lacking the two-thirds majority required for impeachment.
The second was nearly 150 years later, in 2024, when Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of Homeland Security under Joe Biden's administration, was impeached.
Mayorkas was accused of failing to enforce immigration laws and breaching public trust by making false statements to Congress, defying subpoena orders and obstructing oversight. While his impeachment was narrowly passed in the House, the Senate acquitted him after voting that the accusations against Mayorkas did not rise to the constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanours.
Does Trump have powers to stop Hegseth from getting impeached?
With Hegseth's impeachment raised, US president Donald Trump has backed his secretary of war, stating under him, Washington has won two wars - Venezuela and Iran.
"Well, he won two wars. I don't know how you can impeach him. Well, what about impeaching the people from Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and all of that, where we fought forever, and nothing happened?" Trump said in a brief phone interview to Reuters.
The US president also said Hegseth had done a "good job" during his tenure as secretary of defence. Trump also called Republican Representative Massie a "loser" for moving an impeachment resolution against Hegseth.
“Defeated Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, a total loser, is trying to Impeach perhaps the most popular and successful military official in the Country, Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. With recruitment at an ALL-TIME HIGH, from an all-time low under Sleepy Joe Biden, and TWO VICTORIES, Venezuela and Iran, Pete Hegseth should be praised, not Impeached. Congress, stand up for Pete!!!” Trump said on Truth Social.
With Trump's backing, Hegseth also told reporters that he is "not worried" about the resolution.
While the US president has no constitutional power to stop or veto an impeachment proceeding against a cabinet secretary, Trump will try to rally Republicans to kill the motion in the House, as the GOP still holds power until January 2027.
Even if the House votes to impeach Hegseth, the vote in the Senate will not hold up, as conviction and removal require a two-thirds majority. Republicans currently hold 53 of 100 seats, so conviction would take the votes of nearly all Democrats in the Senate, plus roughly 14 Republicans.
If the motion against Hegseth continues, the US president may have to consider replacing the secretary of defence before the new members of Congress are sworn in, as Democrats have already vowed to bring Hegseth to trial.
