“Impeaching Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section exhibits articles of impeachment against Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, for high crimes and misdemeanors.
This section sets forth Article I of impeachment against Peter B. Hegseth as Secretary of Defense for high crimes and misdemeanors, alleging that he (1) willfully participated in and directed the initiation and escalation of armed hostilities against Iran without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, in violation of Article I of the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution; (2) failed to seek or obtain meaningful consultation with Congress prior to such actions; (3) authorized, supported, and advanced military operations lacking defined objectives, lawful authorization, or clear strategic necessity, thereby exposing U.S. Armed Forces members to substantial risk of injury or death; (4) endorsed and facilitated operational plans involving extreme risk to U.S. personnel and interests, including potential ground operations in Iran; and (5) demonstrated willful disregard for the Constitution and abused the powers of his office.
This section charges Peter B. Hegseth with high crimes and misdemeanors for violations of the law of armed conflict and targeting of civilians, in further violation of his constitutional oath and duties, as follows: (1) authorizing, condoning, or failing to prevent military operations inconsistent with the law of armed conflict, such as those resulting in large numbers of civilian casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure in Iran, including a girls’ school in Minab; (2) undermining or disregarding rules of engagement designed to minimize harm to noncombatants, including illegal “double tap” strikes in the southern Caribbean; and (3) engaging in conduct raising serious concerns of violations of the Geneva Conventions and other U.S. legal obligations, including stating that the United States shall give “no quarter, no mercy for our enemies.”
This section charges Peter B. Hegseth with high crimes and misdemeanors in his conduct as Secretary of Defense, alleging that (1) he demonstrated gross negligence in handling sensitive and classified military information, including through use of unsecured communications systems like the Signal app to transmit or discuss operational details in violation of U.S. law and military standards; and (2) he compromised operational security and placed U.S. personnel at risk through this conduct.
This section states that Peter B. Hegseth has obstructed Congress's constitutional oversight responsibilities by (1) failing to provide timely and complete information regarding military operations; (2) withholding material facts relating to civilian casualties and operational conduct in Iran, Venezuela, and other military theaters; and (3) interfering with Congress's constitutional responsibilities.
This section charges Peter B. Hegseth with abuse of office by (1) using his position to influence military decisions for improper political purposes; (2) intervening in military disciplinary or personnel matters inconsistently with established law and practice, including targeting elected officials with bogus investigations for political retribution; and (3) undermining the nonpartisan principle of the Armed Forces.
This section charges that, through cumulative conduct, Peter B. Hegseth (1) acted contrary to the public trust as Secretary of Defense; (2) shook public confidence in the integrity and ability of the Department of Defense, including by undermining U.S. commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. credibility worldwide; (3) brought disrepute upon the United States, its Armed Forces, and the Department of Defense by violating its laws and codes of conduct for public servants; and (4) degraded the readiness and cohesion of U.S. Armed Forces by (A) denigrating women, LGBTQ+, and people of color serving the United States, including by forcibly separating transgender servicemembers; (B) personally intervening in promotions to deny elevation of qualified Black and women officers; (C) attacking women's physical qualifications, restricting their access to reproductive care, and undermining systems to address sexual harassment and assault; and (D) promoting standards of appearance that disproportionately penalize Black servicemembers.