Jeffries says he is a "hard yes" on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

WASHINGTON (Nov. 8) — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday that he supports impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war with Iran, NBC News reported.

"I'm a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution," Jeffries said on ABC's "This Week" when asked about the push led by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. "The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe." He added, "Pete Hegseth has got to go."

Massie, who is leaving Congress at the end of his term, plans to introduce the resolution as early as Monday, The Washington Post reported. It contains eight articles of impeachment and alleges that Hegseth made war on Iran without the congressional authorization required under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the BBC reported.

Massie first tried to bring the measure to the floor in September, before the midterm elections, but Republican leaders canceled the planned votes and the House left early. Impeachment resolutions are privileged, meaning the House must take one up within two days once it is formally raised, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported, so Massie's renewed notice would start that clock again when lawmakers return this week.

Jeffries did not promise that every Democrat would vote for the resolution. He said the caucus would "have that conversation Tuesday morning" when members reconvene in Washington, NBC News reported.

Any vote this year would take place under the current Republican House majority, since the newly elected Congress is not sworn in until January. Even if the House impeached Hegseth, removing him would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate, the Inquirer noted.