WASHINGTON — House Democrats on Wednesday introduced six articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of abuse of power, war crimes and other serious wrongdoing related to U.S. operations in Iran and his leadership of the Pentagon, congressional records show.
The resolution was filed by Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Democrat of Arizona, the first Iranian-American Democrat elected to Congress, and co-sponsored by eight other Democrats. It alleges that Hegseth demonstrated a willful disregard for the Constitution in his handling of the conflict with Iran, which escalated after U.S. and Israeli strikes began on Feb. 28.
The articles focus primarily on Hegseth’s role in the Iran operations, including claims of reckless endangerment of U.S. servicemembers, unauthorized actions and mishandling of sensitive information. They also reference broader allegations of misconduct in the Department of Defense, such as issues tied to previous controversies including the so-called Signalgate scandal involving unsecure communications.
“Pete Hegseth broke his oath to the Constitution,” Ansari said in a statement accompanying the filing.
Republicans, who hold the majority in the House, have shown no indication of supporting the measure. The resolution is widely expected to advance no further than referral to the House Judiciary Committee. A previous impeachment effort against Hegseth introduced late last year by Rep. Shri Thanedar, Democrat of Michigan, also stalled.
The impeachment push comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the U.S.-Iran conflict, including a fragile two-week ceasefire brokered with Pakistani assistance that is set to expire next week. High-level talks in Islamabad earlier this month ended without agreement, and Pakistani officials continue mediation.
The White House and Pentagon have not issued detailed responses to the specific allegations in the resolution. Hegseth has previously defended the administration’s actions in Iran as necessary for national security.
As of Thursday, the resolution had been introduced but not yet assigned for hearings or further action. No vote is scheduled, and the measure has virtually no chance of passing in the Republican-controlled House.
