By Our Correspondent
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has survived an impeachment attempt in the House of Representatives, but mounting criticism from opposition lawmakers, military veterans and former defence officials suggests that his political troubles may be far from over.
The latest controversy surrounding Hegseth followed an incident at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, where a sentinel reportedly reprimanded him and members of his entourage for speaking and laughing loudly during a visit to commemorate Veterans Day.
The incident has added to growing scrutiny of the defence secretary, whose tenure has been dogged by controversies over US military operations, national security decisions and his leadership of the Pentagon.
In a particularly turbulent week, Hegseth also faced an impeachment initiative by outgoing Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who introduced eight articles of impeachment accusing him of committing “high crimes and misdemeanours.”
The allegations covered his handling of the war against Iran, deadly military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off the coast of South America, the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and alleged retaliation against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly for urging military personnel to refuse unlawful orders.
However, Hegseth escaped immediate impeachment after the House voted 211 to 204 against referring the articles to a committee for further consideration.
The outcome might reportedly have been different had 11 Democratic lawmakers who were absent participated in the vote.
Despite the setback, the strength of opposition to Hegseth, alongside significant Democratic gains in the November congressional midterm elections, has raised questions about how long he can avoid renewed impeachment proceedings.
Hakeem Jeffries, who is expected to become Speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes in January, has indicated that Democrats intend to pursue the matter.
In a video produced by a military veterans’ organisation, Jeffries declared: “We are going to run Pete Hegseth out of town.”
Several military veterans and political commentators believe the impeachment initiative could gather fresh momentum when the new Congress takes office.
Randy Manner, a retired major general in the US National Guard and member of National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A), a group of former senior military officers, predicted that Hegseth would face another impeachment attempt.
“He will not survive impeachment once the new Congress is seated,” Manner said.
“I give it 100 per cent probability he’ll be the first secretary of defence to be impeached.”
Similarly, Joe Cirincione, a military analyst and former congressional aide to the House Armed Services Committee, said Democrats were likely to revisit the impeachment articles and build broader support before introducing another resolution.
He strongly criticised Hegseth’s leadership of the Pentagon, arguing that his handling of military affairs had generated an unusual level of controversy.
Cirincione also suggested that the reduced Republican majority expected in the next Congress could create an opportunity for some members of the party to support impeachment.
“Hegseth may have slipped the noose this time, but he can’t escape justice forever,” he said.
However, removing Hegseth from office would require more than impeachment by the House. A conviction at a Senate trial requires a two-thirds majority, making his removal considerably more difficult.
With Democrats expected to hold a maximum of 56 Senate seats, pending the outcome of the Alaska race, securing the required votes could prove challenging.
Nevertheless, Kevin Carroll, a former Army intelligence officer who served in the office of former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, believes some Republican senators could support Hegseth’s removal.
He argued that several Republican lawmakers had expressed reservations about their earlier decision to confirm Hegseth, particularly amid pressure from President Donald Trump.
Carroll added that Republican senators who had recently secured re-election would have another six years before facing voters, potentially giving them greater political independence from Trump.
Hegseth’s critics have also questioned his management of the Pentagon, the US military’s vast defence establishment, which operates on an annual budget exceeding $1 trillion.
Among the most serious allegations against him is that he authorised unlawful killings through military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, which have reportedly claimed about 200 lives.
Hegseth has maintained that those targeted were drug traffickers involved in narco-terrorism, although critics have questioned the evidence and legality of the operations.
Carroll described attacks on survivors of damaged vessels as possible violations of international humanitarian law.
“The boat strikes against shipwrecked sailors are clear violations of the law of war. We hanged Nazis who did the same thing to shipwrecked sailors,” he said, describing the impeachment initiative as a matter of life and death.
The defence secretary has also faced allegations over civilian casualties during the war against Iran, particularly following his criticism of existing rules of engagement and his call for “no quarter” in military operations.
Critics argue that such statements could encourage violations of international humanitarian law and potentially expose American military personnel to accusations of war crimes.
Manner further accused Hegseth of weakening accountability within the military by reducing the number of judge advocates general (JAGs) and inspectors-general responsible for investigating operational failures and possible violations of military law.
The affected legal and oversight officials operate within the US military structure, including commands responsible for overseeing American operations in the Middle East.
One of the most controversial incidents cited by Hegseth’s critics was a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, on the first day of the war in February.
More than 165 people, including approximately 120 children, were reportedly killed in the attack.
Although Washington has not formally acknowledged responsibility, independent investigations have attributed the strike to US forces.
Carroll described the deaths as “negligent homicide.”
Meanwhile, Hegseth appeared sufficiently concerned by Massie’s impeachment initiative to address journalists at his first Pentagon press briefing in six months.
At the briefing, he dismissed the impeachment articles as a “political stunt”, arguing that the move offered America’s adversaries an opportunity to score propaganda points against Washington.
However, Janessa Goldbeck, chief executive of the Vet Voice Foundation, a military veterans’ organisation, said the impeachment initiative enjoyed considerable support within the veterans’ and military communities.
“There is an overwhelming sense from the veterans and military community that Pete Hegseth is well deserving of impeachment,” she said.
Goldbeck argued that the impeachment effort should be viewed against the backdrop of what she described as an unconstitutional and illegal prolonged war, as well as concerns about Hegseth’s qualifications and management of the Defence Department.
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