Donald Trump’s defence secretary Pete Hegseth is facing a potential impeachment battle as Republican lawmakers seek to distance themselves from the president’s deeply unpopular war with Iran following the party’s devastating midterm election defeat.
Democrats, who have taken control of the House of Representatives, could move as early as next week to impeach Hegseth, according to CNN, amid growing Republican criticism of his role in persuading Trump to launch the military campaign without a convincing exit strategy.
The prospect of impeachment highlights the increasingly bitter divisions within the Republican party over a conflict that has helped fuel voter anger over rising living costs and the administration’s handling of the economy.
Republicans are reportedly blaming Hegseth for encouraging Trump to attack Iran and subsequently pushing for further escalation despite little evidence that sustained bombing has brought Tehran closer to surrender.
Several Republican sources told CNN that the defence secretary had oversold the prospect of a quick and straightforward victory, leaving the US entangled in a potentially open-ended Middle East conflict.
Representative Thomas Massie, a prominent Republican critic of Trump from Kentucky, told CNN he intends to trigger a vote to impeach Hegseth when Congress returns next week. Multiple Republican sources reportedly expect the measure to pass.
The extraordinary prospect of Republican lawmakers joining Democrats in condemning a senior member of Trump’s administration reflects the political pressure building after the midterms.
Yet the move also offers the party an opportunity to redirect blame away from the president. While Republican strategists privately acknowledge that the electoral defeat reflected problems extending well beyond the Iran war, few appear willing to hold Trump directly responsible for the scale of the losses.
The military campaign, launched through joint US-Israeli strikes at the end of February, has become a major liability for the administration. The conflict has contributed to higher energy costs and intensified concerns about affordability, issues that became central to the midterm campaign.
Hegseth, one of the most vocal advocates of the operation, has consequently become an increasingly convenient target for Republicans seeking to explain the backlash.
But his political future remains closely tied to Trump’s personal confidence in him. The president reportedly likes his defence secretary and has privately urged him to resist attempts to remove him.
“Just two days ago the president was in the room with him, telling him, ‘You’re my best guy. You’re the best guy I have,'” one official told CNN.
Trump also defended Hegseth publicly on Wednesday, dismissing speculation that he intended to fire him and insisting that the defence secretary was “doing a very good job”.
The president’s continued support could reflect more than personal loyalty. With the administration potentially considering further military action against Iran, removing Hegseth could create uncertainty at the top of the Pentagon at a sensitive moment.
There is also a political calculation. Democratic control of Congress is expected to make it more difficult for Trump to secure confirmation of replacement cabinet officials, potentially leaving the president reluctant to trigger another contentious nomination battle.
Trump has shown little willingness to reconsider the decision that helped undermine his party’s electoral position. Asked whether he regretted launching the war, he was unequivocal.
“If I had to do it again, I’d have to do it again,” he said.
The confrontation over Hegseth therefore exposes a deeper dilemma for Republicans. The party faces pressure to acknowledge the political costs of the Iran conflict, but challenging the defence secretary risks confronting the president who authorised it.
For Trump, defending Hegseth may be another test of loyalty. For Republicans, however, the question is whether sacrificing one of the war’s strongest advocates will be enough to contain the electoral damage — or whether voters will continue to hold the president himself responsible.
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