Hegseth removal papers drafted before midterms

House Democrats have finished drafting articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and are preparing to introduce them if the party secures a majority in the upcoming midterm elections.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal released Friday, the party leadership is positioning the removal process to begin immediately after the November 3 vote. This strategic timing allows Democrats to act quickly if they gain control of the House.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries outlined this goal during a rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month. He stated that one of the first actions taken by a new Democratic majority would be to force Hegseth out of his position.

Other members of the party have used stronger language to describe the defense secretary. Representative Pramila Jayapal called him incompetent and corrupt in an interview with CNN. Representative Jared Huffman described Hegseth as an unhinged fanatic who faces a necessary impeachment.

The push for removal is not limited to the Democratic caucus. Republican Representative Thomas Massie filed his own articles of impeachment in September. Massie, a vocal critic of the conflict in Iran, accused Hegseth of abusing his office by initiating hostilities against Iran without Congressional approval.

Massie intends to force an impeachment vote when the House returns to session on November 9. This date falls one week after the general election, creating a specific window for the proceedings to begin regardless of the final tally of seats.

The political pressure coincides with recent scrutiny of Hegseth's foreign engagements. He held a private meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ovda air base on Monday. This visit took place days before the Israeli election. Reuters reported that Hegseth confirmed the meeting occurred but declined to share details. KAN News reported that Iran was the primary subject of discussion.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz attended the meeting. Senior military officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, were excluded from the session for confidentiality reasons.