House Democrats are taking another shot at Secretary of War Pete Hegseth—this time with five new articles of impeachment tied to the Iran war, even as past efforts have gone nowhere.
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) is leading the charge, accusing Hegseth of war crimes, abuse of power, and mishandling the Pentagon. The resolution, backed by eight other Democrats, is the latest in a growing pile of impeachment attempts targeting the Trump administration.
Ansari, who announced her plan last week, blasted Hegseth as “complicit” in what she called President Donald Trump’s “devastating, illegal war” in Iran.
The articles accuse Hegseth of overseeing an “unauthorized war against Iran,” endangering U.S. troops, targeting civilians, and violating the laws of armed conflict. Other charges claim he mishandled sensitive information and blocked Congress from getting answers about military operations.
One flashpoint: Hegseth’s use of the Signal app on a personal phone to discuss a pending strike in Yemen—an episode that raised eyebrows after a journalist was accidentally added to the chat. A Pentagon watchdog said the incident put troops at risk and broke department policy, though the Department insists it amounted to a “total exoneration.”
The resolution also accuses Hegseth of hiding details about operations in Iran and Venezuela and abusing his power to go after political opponents.
But like earlier efforts, this one is almost certain to stall. Republicans control the House, and previous impeachment attempts against Hegseth have fizzled out.
In December, Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) filed similar articles accusing Hegseth of war crimes tied to U.S. strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats—an effort that never gained traction.
Even so, Democrats are escalating.
The Trump administration isn’t backing down. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson blasted the move as political theater.
“Secretary Hegseth will continue to protect the homeland and project peace through strength,” Wilson said. “This is just another charade in an attempt to distract the American people from the major successes we have had here at the Department of War.”
Bottom line: another impeachment push, another uphill battle—but the drumbeat against Hegseth is getting louder as the Iran conflict fuels fresh political fights in Washington.
