Six Impeachment Articles Filed Against Pete Hegseth—What Happens Next and Will Trump Remove Him?

Fresh political turmoil is gripping Washington after House Democrats filed six articles of impeachment against US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. This intensifies speculation over whether President Donald Trump could make Hegseth redundant due to the many controversies he has brought upon the White House.

President Trump has been known to remove members of his cabinet, as in the case of Kristi Noem, the 8th United States Secretary of Homeland Security, who was fired in March 2026. Attorney General Pam Bondi was also let go in early April 2026 after Trump expressed frustration with her performance.

High Crimes and Misdemeanours

The House introduced six impeachment resolutions on 15 April 2026 that centre on Hegseth's management of the escalating conflict with Iran. Lawmakers at the House accused the Secretary of high crimes and misdemeanours that include abuse of power, misconduct in office and serious breaches of national security.

Although early reports suggested five impeachment charges, House Democrats eventually filed six articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth. The number of charges underscore the extent and seriousness of the allegations against the Pentagon head.

What are the Six Hegseth Impeachment Articles?

At the core of the Hegseth's impeachment articles is the Secretary's role in directing the US military operations in Iran. House members argued that the Secretary conducted an 'unauthorised war' without congressional approval.

According to Democratic Representatives, the attack on Iran in the middle of negotiations potentially violated the US Constitution and limits on executive war powers. The House compiled a list of six impeachment articles as stated below.

1. Abuse of Power – Allegedly exceeding authority in directing military actions.
2. Unauthorised War Conduct – Leading operations against Iran without the approval of congress
3. War Crimes Allegations – Linked to strikes that led to civilian casualties.
4. Mishandling Classified Information – Refers to the 'Signalgate' security breach.
5. Obstruction of Congress – Refusing or limiting oversight and accountability.
6. Politicisation of the Military – Undermining neutrality of the armed forces.

Did Pete Hegseth Commit War Crimes?

Some of the most serious charges involve alleged civilian casualties. House representatives point to reported airstrikes that killed dozens of students, mostly young girls. The first strike hit Minab School on 28 February which resulted in 150 to 170 deaths of primary or elementary-aged schoolgirls.

Iran's state media also reported strikes at two other schools in the town of Parand. According to House Democrats, the airstrikes that killed possibly hundreds of children could amount to a breach of international humanitarian law.

What Was the 'Signalgate' Scandal All About?

The articles of impeachment also accuse Hegseth of mishandling classified information in a controversial chat exchange on a publicly used messaging app. On March 2025 Hegseth shared details of planned military airstrikes in Yemen with his wife, Jennifer (a former Fox News producer), his brother Phil Hegseth (a DHS liaison), and his personal attorney on the instant messaging app 'Signal'.

Signal conversations are supposedly always end-to-end encrypted, which means that messages can only be read or heard by your intended recipients. But Hegseth shared classified military information with people without security clearance, breaking major security protocols.

Will Hegseth Get Fired like Noem and Bondi?

Despite rumors of Hegseth facing the same fate as his colleagues, Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem, there is currently no confirmation that Donald Trump plans to dismiss Hegseth as the Secretary of Defence.

Although political pressure is mounting, the ultimate decision to fire Hegseth rests on the hands of the president, unless the House is able to impeach him. The impeachment effort by Democrat Representatives is an uphill battle with the Republicans still in control of the House.