US House Democrats have introduced six articles of impeachment against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, accusing him of “high crimes and misdemeanours,” including waging war on Iran without congressional approval. The resolution is led by Democratic Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari from Arizona and faces slim chances of passing due to the Republican majority in the House.
Impeachment involves charges brought by the US House of Representatives against a government official for alleged wrongdoing, with removal only possible if the Senate convicts after a trial. In her statement on X, Ansari accused Hegseth of violating his oath, endangering U.S. servicemembers, and committing war crimes, including attacks on civilians and a girls’ school in Minab, Iran.
The War in the Middle East has driven up oil prices and hurt President Trump’s approval ratings ahead of crucial midterm elections in November. The first impeachment article alleged that Hegseth initiated the conflict with Iran “without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization by Congress,” exposing U.S. servicemembers to substantial risk of injury or death.
Another article held Hegseth responsible for an attack on an Iranian primary school on February 28, which killed at least 170 people, including students and teachers. Preliminary findings from a US military investigation suggest that a US Tomahawk cruise missile hit the school due to a targeting mistake.
The Democrats also criticized Hegseth for “double tap” strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean, calling them illegal and undermining rules of engagement designed to protect non-combatants. Other allegations included negligence and reckless handling of sensitive military information and obstructing congressional oversight through the use of commercial messaging app Signal for discussing strikes on Yemen.