Republican Rep. French Hill refused to rule out voting to impeach Pete Hegseth just days after winning a tight race in Arkansas. The House is expected to vote this week on a resolution to remove the Secretary of War from office. Hill, who won by only 4,400 votes, told CBS News he wants to see the full debate before making a choice.
This story hits close to home because it involves the safety of our troops and the cost of our taxes. If Hegseth is removed, it would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate to actually fire him. The political fallout could shift how your local community views the war in Iran and the gas prices that followed.
A Narrow Win Changes Everything
Hill cruised to his sixth term in 2024 with nearly 55,000 votes to spare, but this year was different. He barely held his seat in a deep-red district after voters reacted to rising costs and the war. He believes the commander in chief must take responsibility for the strategy.
Yet Hill stopped short of promising to vote for removal immediately. “I want to hear the debate on it to see if it merits impeachment versus some other disciplinary action,” he said. He emphasized that no one in America wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon. This hesitation shows the deep split within the party right now.
Democrats and Republicans Clash
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is not waiting for a debate. He told ABC’s “This Week” he is a “hard yes” on the resolution to impeach Hegseth. Jeffries claims the Secretary has abused his power and engineered a reckless war in Iran. “Pete Hegseth has got to go,” Jeffries stated clearly during the interview.
The push comes from Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who lost his primary. Although Massie filed eight articles of impeachment in September, the House never voted on them. With Democrats now controlling both chambers, Massie intends to force a vote on his articles. House GOP leaders expect enough defections to pass it, according to the New York Post.
Inside the administration, opinions are split. An unnamed Trump adviser told Axios the secretary was “definitely on thin ice.” However, President Trump himself said otherwise when asked about replacing Hegseth. “No, I think he’s going a very good job,” the President replied on Wednesday. Hegseth dismissed the articles as a “sham” in a video posted online Thursday.
The Clock Is Ticking on Power
Republicans have just 20 legislative days left to finish their business before Democrats take full power. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told committee chairs to prepare for the opposition to take over the gavels. Scalise warned that Democrats will use their new authority for “retribution and unleashing countless witch hunts.”
Massie additionally intends to force a vote regarding his Epstein Files Transparency Act II. He claims his petition will gain the 218 signatures needed to pass the bill. The legislation would let state attorneys general and survivors sue to get more documents. With the deadline for a government funding deal approaching on Dec. 11, lawmakers must prioritize which bills to pass.
