Democrat announces articles of impeachment against Hegseth
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Rep. Shri Thanedar outside the U.S. Capitol on April 10. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) announced Wednesday he plans to introduce articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Why it matters: The long-shot effort centers on two scandals currently rocking the Pentagon — a new report about Signalgate and allegations of a follow-up strike against an alleged Venezuelan drug boat.
- Thanedar may struggle to garner support for his proposal even from his own party, however: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has already dismissed the viability of trying to impeach Hegseth.
- The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Driving the news: Thanedar will unveil his articles of impeachment Thursday morning during a rally at Union Station in Washington, D.C., his office said in a press advisory.
- The articles will accuse Hegseth of "Murder and Conspiracy to Murder and Reckless and Unlawful Mishandling of Classified Information," the advisory said.
- He will be joined at the rally by FLARE, a group pushing for Trump to be impeached.
Yes, but: Jeffries, asked at a Monday press conference about the possibility of impeaching Hegseth, shooed away the idea.
- "Republicans will never allow articles of impeachment to be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives, and we know that's the case," he said.
- "Donald Trump will order them not to do it," he added.
Between the lines: Impeachment has been a source of considerable internal division for Democrats this year.
- The party's grassroots base has pushed hard for it, but lawmakers view the maneuver as procedurally hopeless and politically fraught.
The other side: "While Shri tries to win points with his base to fend off his political opponents, Secretary Hegseth will continue to protect the homeland," said Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson.
- "This is just another charade in an attempt to distract the American people from the major successes we have had here at the Department of War."
What we're hearing: House Democrats and leadership aides who spoke to Axios largely dismissed the move, with one senior House Democrat telling Axios: "It's Shri..."
- "Outside groups will support" the maneuver, the senior lawmaker predicted, but "someone who people respect will have to do a real one if that happens … he is doing it for press and he will get it."
- Thanedar has been harshly criticized by his colleagues in the past for his repeated attempts to impeach Trump.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with reaction from the Pentagon, House Democrats and leadership aides to Rep. Shri Thanedar's announcement.
