(Adnkronos) – House Democrats will today present five articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, accusing him, among other things, of abuse of power and war crimes. Axios anticipates this, recalling that it is a symbolic measure, which will be blocked by the Republican majority in Congress, but which nevertheless demonstrates how Democrats, seven months before the midterm elections, have identified Hegseth as the main target within the Trump administration.
“It’s just another Democrat trying to get into the newspapers while the War Department is decisively and massively achieving the President’s goals in Iran,” is the comment of Pentagon spokesman Kingsley Wilson, who states that Hegseth “will continue to protect the homeland and project peace through strength.”
The impeachment resolution – co-sponsored by Yassamin Ansari, the first Iranian-American elected to Congress – is mainly focused on US operations in Iran, but also on the Signalgate scandal, the insecure chat, into which a journalist had also been mistakenly added, on which Hegseth disseminated war plans, and the many personal scandals surrounding the Pentagon chief.
The first article of impeachment – Axios further reveals – refers to “the unauthorized war in Iran” which would have “irresponsibly put American military personnel at risk.” The second to “violations of the law on armed conflicts by targeting civilians,” in relation to the bombing of the school in Minab and the raids on alleged narco-boats off the coast of Venezuela, citing the words of the Pentagon chief that the US “will have no mercy on enemies” as a possible violation of the Geneva Conventions.
The third article refers to Signalgate, speaking of “negligence and irresponsibility in the management of secret military information”; The fourth contains the accusation of “obstruction of Congressional oversight,” in particular of “not delivering elements relating to civilian casualties and conduct in Iran, Venezuela and other military theaters”; the fifth article finally accuses Hegseth of “conduct that stains the reputation of the United States and the armed forces.”
