House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries made his stance clear on Sunday. He told ABC host Jonathan Karl that he is a “hard yes” on impeaching Pete Hegseth. This comes as Thomas Massie plans to introduce a resolution as early as Tuesday.
The push for impeachment centers on claims that Hegseth has abused his power. Jeffries stated that the “so-called secretary of defense” undermined national security. He also accused Hegseth of engineering a “reckless and costly war of choice in Iran.” According to Breitbart, Jeffries believes these actions have made the country less safe.
Karl pressed Jeffries on whether all Democrats would join him. Jeffries said they would have that conversation on Tuesday morning. He added, “I believe there will be incredibly strong support for that resolution.” He argued that there is a “cost to corruption” in the current government. Jeffries promised to focus on “accountability in the face of the unprecedented corruption.”
NEW: House Dems “inundated” w/ calls & emails urging them not to elect Jeffries speaker
One member told @axios they got “300-400” calls in 2 days
Another said “over 500”
A third said “higher” than 500: “It’s our No. 1 issue, and it’s not close.” https://t.co/eKtNKwFi0f
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) November 6, 2026
The host asked if Jeffries was confident others would follow. Jeffries noted that Democrats promised to focus on affordability. He claimed the “Trump cartel” unleashed corruption on the American people. This war of choice has “skyrocketed prices” for families, he said. Pete Hegseth has got to go, Jeffries told the host.
While the impeachment talk heats up, a different battle is brewing inside the Democratic party. RedState reports that House Democrats are being “inundated” with calls and emails. These messages urge members not to elect Jeffries as Speaker. The pressure comes from the radical leftist base of the party.
One member told Axios they received “300-400” calls in just two days. Another member said the number was “over 500.” A third member said the count was “higher” than 500. That member stated, “It’s our No. 1 issue, and it’s not close.” The agitation is also happening on social media platforms like X.
KEEP CALLING!
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) November 6, 2026
A Democratic chief of staff said their office got “about 300” calls. They told Axios, “Lots of people are saying make Jamie Raskin speaker.” Some members blame a tweet by actor Mark Ruffalo and a Change.org petition for the surge. The goal is to stop Jeffries from taking the gavel when the new Congress meets.
This internal fight mirrors the trouble Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer faces. Incoming freshman senators do not want him to stay in his role. Now, the same dynamic is playing out for the House leadership. The base feels the leaders are not left enough or are too supportive of Israel.
Despite the noise, Jeffries and Schumer likely still hold the votes. However, the friction will be real. Krystal Ball encouraged supporters to keep calling members. She noted that the leftists are thinking they can stampede the vote.
