Hegseth Faces Impeachment Bid Over Iran War Role
A Republican congressman filed a resolution to remove the Defense Secretary from office after a six-month silence.
By Aiko Petrov ·
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican, introduced a resolution on Monday to initiate impeachment proceedings against Pete Hegseth. The proposal targets Hegseth's decision-making authority during the recent military conflict in Iran. This marks the latest challenge to Hegseth's tenure, which has already spanned nearly two years.
Hegseth, 46, assumed the role of secretary of defense on January 25, 2025, following a contentious vote in the Senate. He is a former U.S. Army National Guard soldier who was deployed to Guantánamo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. During his military service, he received two Bronze Stars. After leaving the uniform, he worked as a co-host for Fox & Friends Weekend on Fox News.
His path to the Pentagon was marked by public scrutiny. During the confirmation process, allegations surfaced regarding sexual misconduct and excessive alcohol use. Hegseth denied these claims, describing them as a coordinated effort to damage his reputation. A 2017 report detailed an incident in a California hotel where Hegseth allegedly blocked a door and kept a woman's phone. He maintained that he was not at fault.
Further details emerged from a previously unrevealed report on his time leading Concerned Veterans for America from 2013 to 2016. The document described Hegseth as becoming intoxicated repeatedly while serving in an official capacity. Staff members were sometimes required to remove him from organizational events. Critics also pointed to financial mismanagement during that period.
Hegseth has long advocated for increasing the lethality of the military. He has questioned the inclusion of women in combat roles, arguing that mixed-gender units complicate operations and can lead to higher casualty rates. He stated that integrating women does not provide the same military benefits as racial diversity.
In his first press conference at the Pentagon in six months, Hegseth addressed the new impeachment threat. He rejected the accusations made by Massie and other members of Congress. He compared the current situation to the two impeachment trials faced by President Donald Trump, noting that Trump was never convicted in either instance.
Hegseth was born in Minneapolis in 1980 and graduated from Princeton University in 2003. He later earned a master's degree in public policy from Harvard in 2013. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, a former Fox News producer. The couple has one daughter. Hegseth also has three children from a previous marriage.
