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By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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Pressure is mounting on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from both sides of the political aisle, with Republican Representative Thomas Massie preparing to force a House impeachment vote as soon as next week and Democrats promising further scrutiny when they take control of Congress in January.
The latest criticism came Friday from Republican Representative James Comer, who questioned Hegseth's leadership and the Trump administration's strategy in Iran, saying there were growing concerns among Republican voters about the conflict.
Speaking to NewsNation, the House Oversight Committee chairman was asked whether Democrats could introduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth as soon as next week and whether he wanted to see someone new leading the Pentagon.
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"That's going to be a decision that President Trump's going to have to make," Comer said. "But I can tell you with a high level of confidence that there are a lot of questions about Hegseth."
Comer's comments come as Hegseth faces mounting questions about his future following Republicans' losses in the midterm elections, with the Iran war emerging as a major political issue for the administration.
Newsweek reached out to the White House and Department of Defense for comment.
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Why Do They Want to Impeach Pete Hegseth?
Massie, a Kentucky Republican, intends to bring his impeachment resolution back to the House floor when lawmakers return next week. He announced he plans to trigger a vote on Monday or Tuesday.
The resolution contains eight articles of impeachment, including allegations concerning Hegseth's handling of the Iran war, the administration's use of military force without congressional authorization, and other military operations. Massie has accused Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution and disregarding congressional authority over military action.
Iran War
Comer said, "We have no idea what the strategy is moving forward in Iran. No one's happy about Iran."
Comer said dissatisfaction with the conflict was particularly pronounced among Republican voters, including longtime supporters of President Donald Trump. "I think the Republican voters are more upset about what's going on in Iran than the Democrat voters," he said.
Vice President JD Vance also linked the Republican defeat to the conflict, writing on X on Wednesday: "The reason we lost is the war."
Firing Military Officials
The Kentucky congressman has also criticized Hegseth over the firing of senior military officials and his handling of sensitive military information.
In a post on X on Friday, Massie directly addressed the defense secretary, writing, "This is about you: the incompetence you've displayed, the bad advice you've given to president, and your shameful and embarrassing episodes from firing our top generals to texting war plans to reporters."
Massie also said his impeachment resolution was a more limited effort than what Democrats could pursue once they take control of Congress.
"If Trump's going to replace appointees like Hegseth, he should do it while he can still get the replacements confirmed in the Senate," Massie wrote Thursday.
He added that his resolution was "a much gentler version of what's coming when Dem's control Congress. They'll have hearings & trials."
Will Trump Fire Hegseth?
Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies White House staffing and turnover, told Newsweek Friday that Trump may be forced to consider removing Hegseth to limit the political fallout when Democrats take control of Congress.
"I might think of it strategically like 'how do I reduce the controversy with my staff members?' Because I know a Democratic Congress is going to do a lot of investigations," Tenpas told Newsweek.
She specifically identified Hegseth as someone Democrats could target because he could be a "lightning rod for controversy."
"So maybe you ask them to leave because that will reduce, you know, that friction," she said.
Tenpas cautioned that removing Hegseth would not necessarily prevent congressional investigations or hearings, but could reduce the controversy surrounding the administration.
Hegseth Impeachment Effort Support
Massie previously introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September, reading the 34-page resolution on the House floor. He has said he would not pursue impeachment if Hegseth resigned.
The effort has also received support from Democrats, who have made clear that Hegseth will remain a target of congressional scrutiny.
Representative Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat and member of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a video posted Wednesday that he was "going after" Hegseth.
"Not only is he incompetent and corrupt, he's undermining our national security and the safety of our troops," Crow said, adding that he would be "relentless" in his effort to remove Hegseth from the Pentagon.
Democratic Representative James Walkinshaw of Virginia also indicated he would support impeachment.
"Pete Hegseth has failed America and our service members," Walkinshaw wrote on X Wednesday. He later added: "When the House votes on impeachment, I'm voting to impeach him."
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Trump Praises Pete Hegseth’s Performance, Defends Iran War
Republican criticism has also come from the Senate.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina has been particularly critical of Hegseth, previously calling his deciding vote to confirm the defense secretary the "biggest regret of my career."
Tillis has also argued that Hegseth's relationship with Congress could complicate efforts to secure the Pentagon's proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget.
Speaking to CBS News on Election Day, Tillis said Hegseth faced a "reckoning" and suggested he was one of the reasons the Defense Department was struggling to secure the funding and guarantees it needed.
Senator Ted Cruz has also predicted an impeachment effort could advance before the new Congress takes office, saying: "I expect in the lame duck we will see an impeachment of Pete Hegseth."
Impeachment in the House requires a simple majority. Removal from office would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate following a trial.
Who Could Replace Pete Hegseth?
The growing pressure has also fueled speculation about who could replace Hegseth if Trump decides to remove him.
Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has emerged as one possible name. CBS News reported Wednesday that DeSantis was being floated as a potential replacement, with the possibility of securing Senate confirmation before Democrats take control in January.
The timing could be significant. Republicans still hold the Senate majority during the lame-duck period, potentially giving Trump a window to confirm a replacement before the new Congress takes office.
However, no replacement has been announced, and Trump has publicly defended Hegseth.
There has also been speculation about Hegseth potentially moving to the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, who won the Tennessee governor's race.
Trump said Wednesday that Hegseth would be popular in the position but acknowledged he had not heard that such a move was being considered.
The Associated Press subsequently reported that Hegseth was not under consideration for the appointment, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
Hegseth's future is therefore tied to Trump's decision, the administration's handling of the Iran conflict and the political calculations surrounding the transition to Democratic control of Congress.
Political science professor Grant Davis Reeher of Syracuse University told Newsweek that he believed Trump could ultimately decide to remove Hegseth following the midterm results.
"I'd assume that Trump will fire him—in fact I thought he would given just the mid-term results. That's a time for administration shake-ups," Reeher said.
He added that Hegseth had been a significant drag on the administration's approval ratings, alongside FBI Director Kash Patel.
"Firing him would take the issue off the table, though he'd have to get another Sec Def through the lame-duck Congress, if that's possible, or else face a different calculation in choosing the replacement after Jan. 1," Reeher said.
Craig Agranoff, a political professor at Florida Atlantic University, offered a different perspective on the immediate prospects of Hegseth's departure.
He told Newsweek that Trump's public support made an immediate dismissal less likely, even as the political pressure increased.
"Trump has publicly backed Hegseth and said he is doing a good job. Firing him is the president's call. Rising political cost could change that calculation, but public White House support makes an immediate dismissal less likely than a drawn-out fight," Agranoff said.
Pete Hegseth Video: What He Said In Recent Post
Hegseth has responded directly to Massie's impeachment effort, releasing a video on Thursday in which he dismissed the resolution as a political stunt and vowed to remain in his position.
"Didn't work against President Trump, and it won't work with me. You can rest assured of that," Hegseth said.
He accused Massie of working alongside Democrats to pursue what he described as "sham articles of impeachment."
"A disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies, has also dropped sham articles of impeachment against yours truly, just like they tried against President Trump twice," Hegseth said.
He continued: "You see, their policies don't work. So their obsession with political theater disguised as power drives them to try to destroy their opponents. It's all about the politics of personal destruction."
In another part of the video message, Hegseth defended the military campaign against Iran, describing it as a "courageous and historic" effort to prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons. He also urged Congress to approve the Pentagon's $1.5 trillion budget request.
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to publicly defend his defense secretary.
On Thursday, the president told reporters he had "every intention" of keeping Hegseth.
"I get these calls, you know, about him. I don't understand why," Trump said, acknowledging that some people had contacted him with concerns about the defense secretary.
During a separate Oval Office exchange, Trump described Hegseth as having done a "fantastic job."
The president also criticized Massie, calling him a "very bad guy" and saying he was "very destructive."
However, Trump has reportedly been asking advisers whether Hegseth should remain in the position following the Republican election losses. CBS News, citing sources, reported that the president had been discussing the defense secretary's future with people around him, although no final decision had been made.
Where Is Pete Hegseth From?
Hegseth was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 6, 1980, and grew up in Forest Lake, a suburb north of the Twin Cities.
He graduated as valedictorian from Forest Lake Area High School in 1999 before attending Princeton University, where he graduated in 2003. He subsequently served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard, with deployments including Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before joining the Trump administration, Hegseth became a conservative political commentator and Fox News personality, eventually developing a close relationship with Trump. He was sworn in as the 29th secretary of defense in January 2025.
His political future now rests largely with the president as he faces an impending impeachment vote, growing criticism from lawmakers in both parties and questions about the administration's strategy in Iran.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Gray R. Thomas
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