Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is likely to leave office one way or another. If Hegseth is not removed, the Texas Republican said, the House is almost certain to impeach him.
"Either Hegseth is going to step down, either he will resign voluntarily or Trump will fire him, or, if that does not happen, I think it is extremely likely, if not certain, that the House will impeach him because, on the face of it, the votes are there," Cruz said.
The comments come as the House moves toward a vote this week on articles of impeachment filed by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). On Monday, Massie read eight charges against Hegseth from the House floor. The resolution accuses him of waging war in Iran without congressional approval, ignoring laws meant to minimize civilian casualties, and directing extrajudicial killings. Under House rules, Speaker Mike Johnson must hold a vote within two legislative days.
Cruz has made similar remarks before. In a recent podcast appearance, he said the House had stayed out of session for months because Republicans did not have the votes to stop a Hegseth impeachment in September. On election night, he predicted that Democrats would go after Cabinet members and that Hegseth would be impeached during the lame-duck session.
Others in the party see the same math. Sources in House Republican leadership told PBS NewsHour they believe there are enough votes to impeach Hegseth. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer told Newsmax it is "very possible" the votes exist. With 433 members seated, impeachment needs 217 votes if everyone votes. Democrats hold 214 seats, so they would need only three Republicans to join them, Massie included.
The push gained momentum after Republicans lost both the House and the Senate in last week's midterm elections. Some in the party blame those losses on the war with Iran, which has now passed the eight-month mark. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday that he is "a hard yes" on impeachment.
President Donald Trump has stood by Hegseth. "I have every intention to keep him," he told ABC News last week, while acknowledging he has received calls about him. On Sunday, Trump told reporters Hegseth was "guilty of two things, basically winning two wars." Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also backed him.
Hegseth has dismissed the effort as political theater. He said Monday that he agrees with Trump that he would launch the Iran war again if given the chance. A Pentagon spokesman said Hegseth would not be deterred and remains "100 percent committed" to serving through the end of Trump's term.
Even if the House votes to impeach, removing Hegseth would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate, which is considered unlikely. Massie has said he will not reintroduce the articles if Hegseth resigns. He told CNN there is a "high probability" Hegseth steps down before the end of the year, rather than face Democratic-led hearings in the new Congress.
Timing adds another layer of pressure. Trump has acknowledged that confirming a replacement would be easier before Democrats take control of the Senate in January.
