Hegseth Remains Defiant as Impeachment Calls Grow Following Democrats’ Big Election Night

As the midterm election results rolled in on Tuesday night and the Democrats’ victories mounted seemingly every hour, the aftermath shined a spotlight on how the next Congress might investigate or even impeach certain members of the Trump administration—notably Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

It wasn’t the usual midterm election results for the party in power. While Democrats were predicted by pollsters and analysts to at least flip the House of Representatives, they also reclaimed the majority in the U.S. Senate come January. Democrats will end up winning a minimum of 250 House seats and at least 54 seats in the Senate, with some races still undeclared.

The elections swiftly turned from focus on the campaigns, to what Democrats will do policy-wise and otherwise with their new majorities. As President Donald Trump has mentioned the possibility of vetoing Democratic legislation that comes to his desk, some lawmakers—even on the Republican side—have channeled their ire towards individuals like Hegseth.

The defense secretary has been scrutinized by various members of Congress and the public, namely for his role in the ongoing Iran War that exit polling showed likely contributed in a major way to Democrats’ success. The military operation launched Feb. 28 has led to higher gas and grocery prices, while Hegseth’s own errors—including accidentally publishing war plans on the encrypted app Signal—have drawn rebuke.

Hegseth ‘Will Not Back Down’ From Impeachment Threats

Military.com asked the Pentagon how Hegseth is feeling and reacting to Tuesday’s results, and whether he feels a proverbial bullseye on his back considering the rhetoric coming from those in Washington.

“Secretary Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists,” chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told Military.com on Wednesday. “The Department of War has followed the law and our secretary will continue to stand and fight every single day to support and defend the Constitution, lead our troops, and protect America.

“We will continue to drive President Trump’s agenda at the Department of War—despite threats of sham witch hunts from Democrats—and Secretary Hegseth is 100% committed to leading the department until the end of President Trump’s term in office.”

Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

As the electoral map turned from red to blue nationwide on Tuesday, speculation increased on Hegseth’s future.

Outgoing Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who voted for Hegseth to become secretary in the first place but has become one of his biggest critics, told CBS News on Tuesday that Hegseth faces a “reckoning.”

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said in the past that he was in favor of impeaching both Hegseth and Trump for what has happened regarding Iran.

Previous articles of impeachment were introduced by outgoing Republican Rep. Thomas Massie before Speaker Mike Johnson issued a recess delaying any such proceedings.

Service Members ‘Absolutely’ Rooting for Impeachment

Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) founder and president Mikey Weinstein told Military.com on Wednesday that “as the blue wave started approaching” the evening before, he began receiving calls from U.S. service members around the world.

Those individuals, described as clients under the MRFF umbrella, totaled in the hundreds and continued into Wednesday morning and afternoon. Calls came from junior enlisted members and flag officers.

“I can tell you that what we’re seeing is a type of jubilation that I’ve not seen in at least about 10 years,” Weinstein told Military.com. “I think it’s fair to say that the expectation from our clients is that they absolutely want to see Hegseth impeached.

“There’s no question about that, and they feel that this will knock away some of the arrogance, hubris and swagger of the Christian nationalists. I want to make it very clear again that what animates all of this is Christian nationalism.”

Weinstein specifically mentioned how Hegseth has pushed Christian ideals across the entire military, such as prayer breakfasts that have included controversial guest speakers like Doug Wilson.

Hegseth during a recent speech at Quantico celebrated the new Office of Religious Affairs, which he introduced with Bible quotes.

The secretary also invoked religion soon after the Iran War began, drawing widespread attention for quotes purportedly repeated by Hegseth and higher-up military leaders who invoked Christianity amid Christian biblical prophecies—seemingly contrasting the U.S. and Christianity with religions followed in the Middle East.

Weinstein and MRFF also cited recent polling of service members who purportedly are considering leaving service.

“The Military Religious Freedom Foundation is calling for the immediate impeachment of Hegseth, and probably other lieutenants, like Matthew Lohmeier and others,” Weinstein said. “We will be working with our folks in the Pentagon. We have a number of, we just use the term ‘moles,’ as we have very close relationships with some new members of Congress that will soon be seated, to call for this Christian nationalist maniac’s immediate impeachment from his position as the ‘Secretary of War Crimes.'”

While Democrats don’t officially control Congress until January, Weinstein said wheels should start being put in motion immediately.

“It’s three months away from seating this Congress, and two more years to go,” Weinstein added. “But impeachment is something that the foundation is calling for immediately. It’s not something that should be tabled. We love affordability; that’s great, but we need accountability.

“And accountability means taking out the bad people. We still have a Christian nationalist freak in charge of nuclear weapons and drones and conventional weapons, and that has to be corrected immediately.”