Lawmakers are already discussing plans for hearings, inquiries and other oversight into the Defense Department if control of Congress flips.
09/10/2026 04:45 AM EDT
Congressional Democrats are promising to target Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if they win control of Congress in November.
Emboldened by the possibility of a sweep at the polls, they’re plotting a blitz of public hearings and inquiries, using their agenda-setting authority and potentially the power to subpoena Trump administration officials over the Iran war, allegations of war crimes, Pentagon business dealings, purges of top military officers and a host of other controversies.
Some Democrats want to go even further, raising the possibility the House could push to impeach Hegseth — an increasingly polarizing figure whose leadership has drawn howls of protest, even from some Republicans. After fuming on the sidelines for nearly two years, Democrats say they’re ready to take a run at one of President Donald Trump’s top lieutenants.
“Hegseth and crew better buckle up and lawyer up because we are coming at them full on,” said Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.). “It’s incredibly aggressive oversight because this is by far the most corrupt and least transparent Pentagon, I think, we’ve ever had.”
Less than two months from the midterms, fueled by voters’ discontent with Trump’s handling of the Iran war and skyrocketing gas prices, Democrats aren’t limiting their options.
“It’s hearings, it’s briefings, it’s informal meetings, it’s requests for information, it’s everything,” said Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.). “We will use all of the tools we can to make sure we’re getting the information we need to hold folks accountable.”
Those lawmakers contend a Democratic majority will do what Republicans have declined to do: scrutinize Trump administration policies and what they see as wrongdoing or corruption. In the meantime, bipartisan support for annual defense policy and spending legislation has collapsed as Democrats protest the Iran war and the administration’s record $1.5 trillion budget request.
While Democrats’ targets span the government, Hegseth’s controversial tenure at the Pentagon — and his stiff-arming of Congress — has given them ample ammunition.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who would chair the House Armed Services Committee, has promised stepped-up oversight if his party wins out. Smith isn’t ruling out wielding the panel’s subpoena power against Pentagon brass, who he contends isn’t being transparent with Congress or the public.
The list includes the Iran war, a lethal campaign against suspected drug smugglers in Latin America, the firings of numerous senior officers and blocking of military promotions by Hegseth, living conditions for troops abroad, the deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, politicization of the military and the Trump family’s business dealings.
Those efforts could even result in an impeachment bid, some lawmakers are warning.
“There’s a lot of conversations about DOD right now,” said Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), who would lead the House Oversight Committee if the chamber flips. “Hegseth should not be in office — a lot of others should be impeached. So those are ongoing conversations.”
A group of nine Democrats, led by Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), introduced an impeachment resolution in April against Hegseth. They accused him of prosecuting an unauthorized war in Iran, targeting civilians and mishandling classified information, among other charges.
Efforts to impeach a Cabinet secretary have rarely advanced beyond the fringes of either party — such as calls to remove former Pentagon chiefs Lloyd Austin and Donald Rumsfeld. House Republicans in 2024 impeached Alejandro Mayorkas, then-President Joe Biden’s Homeland Security secretary, though the Senate quickly dismissed the charges.
And while the latest resolution was little more than a messaging exercise in the GOP-controlled House, it made clear that Democrats would turn Hegseth into a target of their ire.
Ryan said talk of impeaching Hegseth “will only ramp up” over the coming months. But he cautioned “doing it the right way and succeeding is important.”
“To build a credible case, we have to leverage the subpoena power and other things that would come with a hypothetical majority to really make sure we have the receipts and it’s seen as a serious thing fitting our troops,” Ryan said.
Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson said Hegseth has been “a transformative leader” and “the entire department is unified behind the secretary’s vision and will continue working to put our warfighters and America first.”
Republicans will likely reject efforts to force out Hegseth and find themselves running interference for the Trump administration amid numerous expected Democratic probes.
“I have absolute faith in the secretary,” said Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), a member of the Armed Services Committee.
In nearly two years on the job, Hegseth has had a rocky relationship with both parties in Congress. He was confirmed by the Senate only after Vice President JD Vance broke a tie vote, capping a turbulent nomination process that left some in the GOP unsold on his qualifications.
Top Republicans have rebuffed the Trump administration on select debates, including proposals to reduce the U.S. military presence in Europe. And the Senate has declined to confirm certain senior Pentagon nominees.
But Republicans have aired most of their disagreements with Hegseth behind closed doors. Should Democrats control Congress, Pentagon brass can’t expect that level of deference in congressional oversight.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has frequently criticized Hegseth as unqualified for the top Pentagon post but has not yet backed any of the impeachment efforts.
Crow and other members said they are interested in holding hearings on key issues before presuming any specific outcome for senior Pentagon leadership.
“The priority has got to be investigating things that impact the safety and security of our troops and their families,” Crow said. “Pete Hegseth, because of his incompetence and his corruption and his lack of attention to the job, continues to put our service members in harm’s way, take away resources for their health and safety … We need to hold them accountable for that.”
“Certainly with the way we’ve seen the recklessness of this administration, [oversight] should and will be a priority going into the new year,” added Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), another Armed Services Committee member.