House Democrats are openly plotting to investigate and impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if they win the November midterms, a move that would make him only the third cabinet secretary in American history to face such proceedings.

Multiple Democratic lawmakers have told the Daily Mail they intend to use subpoena power and every oversight mechanism available the moment they take the majority. Rep. Ro Khanna of California was blunt in his assessment, calling for Hegseth's removal over the ongoing Iran conflict, the firing of senior military officers, and U.S. strikes in the Caribbean.

Khanna told the Daily Mail:

"Hegseth got us into an illegal and costly war in Iran which we are losing. He has fired generals capriciously and ordered the killing of fishermen in the Caribbean."

He added flatly: "He should be impeached."

Khanna is not alone. Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado, who sits on House panels overseeing both the CIA and the Pentagon, stopped short of endorsing impeachment by name but left little room for interpretation. "Pete Hegseth has got to go," Crow said. "Democrats won't hesitate to use every tool available to hold the Defense Secretary accountable."

Tokuda calls for domestic and international charges

Rep. Jill Tokuda of Hawaii, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, went further than any of her colleagues. She called Hegseth "an unqualified, narcissistic, wannabe Chief of War" and demanded consequences that extend beyond Capitol Hill.

"Similar to what this administration did to others, his picture should be stripped from the wall of the Pentagon, he should face charges domestically and globally for crimes against humanity."

That phrase, "crimes against humanity", is Tokuda's political characterization, not a legal finding. No international tribunal or U.S. court has issued such a determination. But the language signals how far left the Democratic caucus has moved on Hegseth, from skepticism at his confirmation to open calls for criminal accountability.

The Pentagon did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson, however, has defended Hegseth's record in separate remarks, saying the secretary "has slashed bureaucracy, unleashed innovation, and delivered for our warfighters every step of the way."

"By every measurable metric, the Department of War is better under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth's leadership than before."

Formal impeachment articles already filed, twice

The Daily Mail's reporting captures the broader Democratic appetite, but formal action has already begun. Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth in early April, accusing him of war crimes and reckless endangerment of U.S. service members during the Iran conflict. Breitbart reported that Ansari specifically cited the bombing of a girls' school in Minab, Iran, and the targeting of civilian infrastructure.

Ansari stated: "I am introducing Articles of Impeachment against Pete Hegseth for repeatedly violating his oath of office and his duty to the Constitution." The New York Post reported that Trump himself revealed last month that Hegseth was the "first" to call for military action against Iran, making the defense secretary a primary Democratic target within the cabinet, particularly after the earlier departures of Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi.

Hegseth has also faced scrutiny from within his own party. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin broke with the administration on the Iran strikes, telling reporters, "I do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure... We are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them."

Then, on April 15, House Democrats introduced five formal articles of impeachment against Hegseth. Just The News reported the resolution centered on U.S. operations in Iran, the use of insecure messaging apps to share sensitive information, a reference to the so-called SignalGate scandal, and personal misconduct allegations. A Pentagon spokesperson dismissed it as "another charade to distract the American people from the major successes we have had here at the Department of War."

Hegseth has faced calls for his removal from Republican senators as well, a sign that discomfort with his tenure extends beyond the Democratic caucus.

Separately, Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan moved to introduce his own articles of impeachment tied to a different incident, a follow-up military strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. The Washington Examiner reported Thanedar planned to unveil the articles at a press conference at Union Station. That Caribbean strike is the same action Khanna referenced when he accused Hegseth of "ordering the killing of fishermen."

Hegseth's approval has cratered since the Iran conflict began

The political math behind the impeachment push runs through Hegseth's collapsing public standing. The latest Quinnipiac Poll puts his disapproval rating at 57 percent, with only 32 percent approving, a net rating of negative 25. Six months ago, when the Iran conflict began, that same poll had him at negative 9. The slide has been steep and steady.

Democrats are forecast to win the House in November's midterm elections, now roughly two months away. A majority would hand them subpoena power over Trump administration officials and the ability to compel testimony from Pentagon leadership, military commanders, and Hegseth's inner circle.

Only two cabinet secretaries have ever been impeached in American history. Secretary of War William Belknap was impeached in 1876 for taking bribes. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached in 2024 over his handling of immigration at the southern border. The Senate requires 60 votes to convict, a threshold that makes removal all but impossible in the current chamber. But conviction is not the point. Impeachment proceedings in the House would give Democrats a platform for months of public hearings and subpoenaed documents.

Hegseth has also dealt with legal setbacks at the Pentagon, including a federal court ruling that blocked one of his press access policies.

Jennifer Hegseth's role draws its own scrutiny

The impeachment chatter is not the only pressure bearing down on Hegseth. A New York Times report, sourced from 20 current and former administration officials alongside people close to Jennifer Hegseth, described the secretary's 49-year-old wife as his most influential adviser. She has reportedly been interviewing prospective staff, shaping public appearances and department videos, sitting in on press interviews, and accompanying Hegseth "virtually everywhere."

Jennifer Hegseth attended a U.S.-UK military intelligence briefing on Ukraine last year. British officials reportedly spoke only in broad terms during that session. A smaller follow-up meeting was held without her present.

Accusations that Hegseth has been carrying personal grudges into military personnel decisions have compounded the picture of a Pentagon chief operating outside conventional norms.

At a late July Cabinet meeting at Camp David, President Trump reportedly confronted Hegseth over a military munition shortage. The details of that exchange, including what specific shortfall prompted it, remain unclear.

Trump told Fox News he plans to "make deals" with Democrats when they gain power, a remark that suggests the president has already factored a House takeover into his calculations. Some Democrats, the Daily Mail noted, remain squeamish about dragging the country through another impeachment, though none were named.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi set the template during Trump's first term, when she maneuvered to block his agenda in his final two years and brought two impeachments against him. Democrats eyeing the House majority appear ready to follow that playbook, with Hegseth's growing list of controversies giving them no shortage of material.

Wilson's defense of Hegseth, that the Pentagon is better "by every measurable metric", may hold inside the building. Outside it, the metrics that matter in Washington are poll numbers and seat counts. Both are moving against Hegseth, and Democrats are making sure he knows it.

Whether impeachment succeeds or stalls, the message from the Democratic caucus is clear: they do not intend to govern quietly. Taxpayers watching another round of partisan proceedings should ask a simple question, is this oversight, or is it spectacle dressed up as accountability?