House Democrat to Impeach Pentagon Chief Over Alleged Iran War Crimes

Rep. Yassamin Ansari says she will introduce articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for violating his oath of office.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 4:19pm

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A cinematic painting of a solitary military drone hovering over a partially destroyed school building, the scene bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conceptually illustrating the political controversy over alleged war crimes in Iran.The alleged bombing of a girls' school in Iran has become a flashpoint in the ongoing political battle over the U.S. military's conduct in the conflict.Madison Today

Rep. Yassamin Ansari, an Iranian-American Democrat from Arizona, announced plans to introduce articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Ansari alleges Hegseth committed war crimes and endangered U.S. troops during the Trump administration's conflict with Iran, including bombing a girls' school and targeting civilian infrastructure.

Why it matters

The move to impeach Hegseth reflects growing Democratic opposition to the ongoing U.S. military operations in Iran, which some lawmakers view as reckless and unconstitutional. While Republicans control Congress, the impeachment effort could put pressure on the administration and divide the GOP.

The details

In a written statement, Ansari said Hegseth's "reckless endangerment of U.S. servicemembers and repeated war crimes" provide grounds for impeachment and removal from office. She cited the bombing of a girls' school in Minab, Iran and the targeting of civilian infrastructure as examples. Ansari, the daughter of Iranian immigrants, argued the 25th Amendment should be invoked to remove President Trump from office due to his "deranged statements" further entrenching the U.S. in the conflict.

  • On Monday, Ansari announced plans to introduce the impeachment articles next week.
  • Last year, Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth, though he did not force a vote.

The players

Rep. Yassamin Ansari

A Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona and the daughter of Iranian immigrants who is seeking to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Pete Hegseth

The current Secretary of War under the Trump administration, who Ansari alleges committed war crimes and endangered U.S. troops during the conflict with Iran.

President Donald Trump

The former president whose "deranged statements" and actions Ansari says are further entrenching the U.S. in the devastating war with Iran.

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What they’re saying

“Donald Trump's deranged statements — including one on Easter Sunday — are further entrenching our country and our world in another devastating, never-ending war. He's threatening war crimes that violate U.S. law and the Geneva Convention, on top of illegal actions and atrocities already committed at his direction — including violence that has destroyed schools, hospitals, and critical civilian infrastructure.”

— Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona

“I hope and pray that President Trump is just using this as bluster. I do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure... We are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them.”

— Sen. Ron Johnson, Republican Senator from Wisconsin

What’s next

The articles of impeachment introduced by Ansari would require a two-thirds majority in the Republican-controlled Senate to convict Hegseth and remove him from office, which is considered unlikely. However, the effort could put further pressure on the administration and divide Republicans who are already voicing discomfort with the ongoing conflict.

The takeaway

This impeachment push reflects the deep partisan divide over the Trump administration's military operations in Iran, with Democrats accusing the Pentagon leadership of war crimes while some Republicans also voice concerns about the targeting of civilian infrastructure. The fate of Hegseth's tenure and the future of the U.S. involvement in the conflict remains highly uncertain.