Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) said Thursday he plans to file articles of impeachment targeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing the Pentagon chief should be removed over what he described as two separate controversies inside the Defense Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThis secretary has to go,\u201d Thanedar told Fox News host Josh Breslow. \u201cHe\u2019s incompetent. He\u2019s, you know, violated \u2014 he has committed war crimes. He must go.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
He added, \u201cAnd if both parties, if Republicans are willing to look at this for the merit of this case and not just their loyalty to President Trump, this can be done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanedar pointed first to Hegseth\u2019s use of the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss a pending strike on Houthi targets in Yemen. A Pentagon inspector general report made public this week faulted Hegseth for using an unapproved channel to share sensitive strike-related information and warned the practice could have endangered U.S. personnel if intercepted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Signal thread drew additional scrutiny after The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently included in the chat, alongside senior administration officials. Investigators said that exposure of operational details\u2014such as timing and other strike specifics\u2014could have put U.S. forces at risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thanedar also cited reporting around a separate episode involving a Sept. 2 strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean. According to that reporting, Hegseth ordered military leaders to \u201ckill everybody,\u201d and a follow-up strike occurred even after survivors were seen in the water\u2014raising questions about targeting decisions and command accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What are the \u201ctwo scandals\u201d Hegseth is facing? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1) The Signal\/Yemen strike controversy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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- The Pentagon inspector general concluded Hegseth violated DoD policy by using Signal on a personal device to share sensitive information about impending Yemen strikes, warning it could have jeopardized service members and the mission.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reporting also noted limits to what investigators could directly review from Signal and that Hegseth declined an interview with the inspector general, while denying wrongdoing. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2) The Caribbean \u201cdrug boat\u201d strike controversy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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- Reporting has centered on whether a second strike was ordered or permitted after survivors were apparent, and whether the rules\/protocols around such engagements were properly followed; Hegseth has said he did not \u201cstick around\u201d after giving the order for the first strike and learned of the later events afterward. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Other attempts to impeach Cabinet officials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Impeaching Cabinet members is rare historically\u2014only a small number of federal officials have ever been impeached by the House, and Cabinet officials are a tiny subset of that list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A few notable modern-era examples or efforts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Alejandro Mayorkas (Homeland Security):<\/strong> The House impeached Mayorkas in 2024; the Senate later dismissed the articles, ending the case. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Donald Rumsfeld (Defense):<\/strong> In 2004, a House resolution (H.Res. 629) sought to impeach Rumsfeld; it was referred to committee and went nowhere. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Merrick Garland (Attorney General):<\/strong> Multiple impeachment resolutions were introduced against Garland in the 117th Congress (including H.Res. 743 and H.Res. 1318).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Antony Blinken (Secretary of State):<\/strong> An impeachment resolution (H.Res. 608) was introduced in the 117th Congress.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n