The Democratic Party, after winning a majority in Congress, is prioritizing efforts to impeach U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth rather than pursuing a third impeachment attempt against President Donald Trump, amid concerns that doing so could repeat the failures of the two previous attempts, according to a report published by The Times.
According to the newspaper, Democrats have reshuffled their priorities to focus on Hegseth following two unsuccessful attempts to impeach Trump during his first term.
The path to impeaching the president faces a significant constitutional obstacle, as conviction in the Senate requires a two-thirds majority, a threshold that no impeachment vote against a U.S. president has yet reached.
In this context, Matt Bennett, co-founder of the Washington-based Democratic research center Third Way, ruled out a third attempt to impeach Trump as a politically sound move, although he believes the president has committed offenses that warrant impeachment.
Bennett told The Times that the chances of removing Trump from office are practically non-existent, warning that repeated impeachment attempts without tangible results could send voters a negative signal that the party is not listening to the issues they prioritize.
By contrast, impeaching Hegseth is receiving greater attention from the party's leadership. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced that removing the Secretary of War from office would be among his party's priorities after regaining the majority.
However, Bennett expects Jeffries to face pressure from within the party to launch an investigation that could pave the way for Trump's own impeachment. Nonetheless, he noted that impeachment efforts may shift towards officials within the U.S. administration rather than targeting the president directly.
A 34-page Impeachment Project and Eight Articles of Accusation
One of the most significant steps towards impeaching Hegseth comes from Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who submitted a resolution in Congress to hold the Secretary of War accountable in preparation for his impeachment.
Massie introduced the articles of impeachment on September 15, but House Speaker Mike Johnson canceled the voting session scheduled for the following day and adjourned the House earlier than planned, just before the election recess.
The move postponed consideration of the articles until after the elections, during the transitional period known as the "lame-duck" session.
The 34-page impeachment project includes eight articles of accusation against Hegseth. According to The Times, these include waging war on Iran without a congressional declaration of war, continuing military operations beyond the legal 60-day limit without authorization, and failing to comply with laws aimed at minimizing civilian casualties.
Republican Majority Obstructs Passing the Impeachment Articles
Despite the proposal, the articles of accusation still require a vote in the House of Representatives. With Republicans maintaining a majority during the transition, Democratic votes alone will not be enough to pass the resolution, even with the support of every party member.
To succeed, Massie must secure the support of at least two additional Republican representatives, in addition to his own vote, to overcome the obstacle posed by the current House majority.
Assessing the Secretary of War's position, Bennett said Hegseth is facing a difficult political situation, describing him as unfit for the position and noting that the war on Iran lacks broad public support.
However, Bennett distinguished between the House's approval of the articles of impeachment and Hegseth's actual removal from office, explaining that the success of the former would not necessarily lead to his dismissal. This is particularly true given expectations that Trump would continue to support Hegseth and keep him in his administration.
