House Democrat moves to impeach Pete Hegseth, and the Defense Secretary’s alleged ‘war crimes’ list is long

Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) announced that she will introduce articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, citing alleged war crimes, as reported by The Hill. This move comes after President Trump’s stated plans for strikes on Iran’s bridges, desalination plants, and power plants. Ansari, whose parents are Iranian immigrants, stated that President Trump is “escalating a devastating, illegal war, threatening massive war crimes and targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran.”

Ansari posted on X that “in the last 48 hours alone, the rhetoric has crossed every line. Pete Hegseth is complicit.” She also confirmed her call for the 25th Amendment, which allows for an involuntary transfer of power if the president is deemed “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” making the vice president the acting president. “The 25th Amendment exists for a reason; his Cabinet should use it,” she urged, emphasizing that “the fate of U.S. troops, the Iranian people, and the very foundation of our global system are at stake.”

Since the strikes began on February 28, the U.S. has reportedly bombed a girls’ school in Minab and the crucial oil export hub on Kharg Island. Iran has also accused the Trump administration of striking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island. Ansari believes these actions are clear violations.

This isn’t the first time Hegseth has faced calls for impeachment over war crime allegations

“Only Congress has the power to declare war, not a rogue president or his lackeys,” she said on Monday, according to reporting from Scott McFarlane. She further asserted that “Hegseth’s reckless endangerment of U.S. servicemembers and repeated war crimes, including bombing a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, and willfully targeting civilian infrastructure, are grounds for impeachment and removal from office.”

Representative Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) filed articles of impeachment against the Defense Secretary in December, though he hasn’t yet pushed for a vote on the matter. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and other lawmakers have also voiced concerns, stating that plans to target civilian infrastructure in the country would constitute clear war crimes. Despite these serious allegations, Hegseth has publicly supported President Trump’s plans to proceed with full force, even in the face of claims that the U.S. military is violating international law.

Ansari has been a vocal critic of the administration’s foreign policy regarding Iran. The first-term Democratic lawmaker has long argued that President Trump and his subordinates exhibit a “lack of knowledge” concerning the historical and political context of relations with Iran. She previously slammed last year’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and strongly warned against any U.S. efforts for regime change.

She stated that “any sort of U.S.-led military intervention or regime change would be a terrible mistake.” Ansari recounted being “genuinely terrified during the days Trump was making contradictory threats — one moment urging civilians in Tehran to evacuate, the next talking about regime change, and then suddenly calling for peace.”

She called that kind of unpredictability “dangerous,” especially noting that an alternative group was looking to rise to power if the current leadership were to fall. Instead, she has insisted that the Iranian people need unrestricted access to the internet and advocacy for the release of political prisoners.

However, President Trump offered a completely different perspective during his recent remarks, claiming the Iranian people are actually pleased with the U.S. bombing campaign. “They don’t hear bombs go off, they’re upset,” President Trump said during a Monday press gaggle.

He went on to say, “They want to hear bombs because they want to be free.” He suggested the only reason they aren’t protesting is because “they were informed that if they protest, like the wrestler and his friends, if they protest, they will be shot immediately,” referring to 19-year-old national wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi, who was hanged for participating in a demonstration against the Iranian regime.

First lady Melania Trump also echoed this sentiment, telling reporters at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll that citizens support the war in Iran, stating, “All of this is happening for their future, they will be safe for years to come.”