# Democrats plan to make Hegseth their top target

> Trump officials say Pete Hegseth faces inevitable impeachment as Democrats prepare a narrow case designed to win Republican support.
- Title: Democrats plan to make Hegseth their top target · WIRED
- Summary: Trump officials say Pete Hegseth faces inevitable impeachment as Democrats prepare a narrow case designed to win Republican support.
- Keywords: pete hegseth, defense secretary, impeachment, democrats, republicans, senate, iran war, military strikes, flag officer cuts, WIRED
- Source: WIRED — https://wired.com/story/pete-hegseth-is-about-to-get-his-ass-kicked
- Author: Hugo Lowell
- Published: 2026-11-11T22:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: pete hegseth, defense secretary, impeachment, democrats, republicans, senate, iran war, military strikes, flag officer cuts
## Hegseth faces Democratic target
Trump administration officials tell Inner Loop that Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, is on track to be Democrats' number one target in the next Congress.
## Democrats plan impeachment inquiry
House Democratic aides say Democrats are likely to pursue an impeachment inquiry against Hegseth and work to narrow charges to issues Senate Republicans have also complained about.
## Hegseth's controversial record
Hegseth has championed the Iran war, fired generals, blocked promotions using criteria that disproportionately affected women and people of color, and directed military strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.
## Republican concerns overlap
Senate Armed Services Committee chair Roger Wicker has criticized Hegseth for flag officer cuts and reportedly threatened to block a Trump nominee unless the Pentagon handed over documents.
## Failed Republican impeachment attempt
House Republicans tabled an impeachment effort by Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who accused Hegseth of waging the Iran war without Congressional approval and directing extrajudicial killings.
## Democratic leaders signal next steps
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said he would consult with top members on next steps, naming Adam Smith as soon-to-be Armed Services Committee chair and Jamie Raskin as next judiciary chair.
## Republican detractors leaving Congress
Maine senator Susan Collins, North Carolina senator Thom Tillis, Louisiana senator Bill Cassidy, Iowa senator Joni Ernst, and Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell are all leaving Congress at year's end.
## Five other Republicans could support conviction
At least five other Republican senators have complained about Hegseth's performance: Roger Wicker, Mike Rounds, Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, and Todd Young. Democrats need sixty-seven votes to convict.
## Hegseth defends Iran war record
At the Pentagon, Hegseth called Vice President JD Vance a critical team member and said of the Iran war: I agree with what the president said, when he said if I had to do this…

> if I had to do this all over again, would we do it again? Absolutely.
## Key takeaway

Democrats are preparing an impeachment inquiry against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, focusing on issues that have also drawn Republican criticism to maximize chances of conviction.