A House Democrat announced Monday she will introduce articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over his handling of U.S. operations in Iran.
Why it matters: Hegseth is emerging as Democrats' top target in the Trump Cabinet following the ousters of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
- Polls have shown Hegseth is among the least popular members of the Cabinet, with the mounting costs of the Iran conflict placing further strain on his public image.
- The White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Driving the news: Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) said in a statement she will introduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth next week for "repeatedly violating his oath of office and his duty to the Constitution."
- "Hegseth's reckless endangerment of U.S. servicemembers and repeated war crimes ... are grounds for impeachment and removal from office," the House Democrats' freshman class president said.
Zoom in: Ansari, who is Iranian-American, also called for the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office over his "deranged statements" about the war.
- She pointed to his Truth Social post on Easter Sunday that was addressed to Iranian leaders: "Open the Fuckin' Strait [of Hormuz], you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah."
- "The 25th Amendment exists for a reason; his Cabinet should use it. The fate of U.S. troops, the Iranian people, and the very foundation of our global system are at stake," she said.
The bottom line: With Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress and a two-thirds majority needed in the Senate to convict an executive official for impeachable offensive, Ansari's impeachment push is highly unlikely to succeed.
- There is also no realistic chance of Trump's Cabinet, which is filled with loyalists, invoking the 25th Amendment.
- Ansari isn't the first Democrat to propose impeaching Hegseth. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) introduced articles of impeachment against the Pentagon chief last year, but has so far not forced a vote on it.
