Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Defence Secretary, calls himself the Secretary of War, part of his effort to rebrand a military he said was too weak and “woke” when he took office last year.
asserted
he → call → office
Now, with a House impeachment vote expected this week, he could soon share something in common with an actual secretary of war.
uncertain
he → expect → war
William Belknap, who held that title in 1876, became the first, and to date only, civilian leader of the U.S. military to be impeached by Congress.
asserted
who → hold → Congress
U.S. Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, introduced articles of impeachment on Monday (November 9, 2026), setting off a two-day clock for an expected House vote on charges including waging war against Iran without congressional approval and other abuses of power.
asserted
Massie → introduce → power
Congressional sources say the resolution may have the simple majority needed to pass the Republican-controlled House before Democrats take over on January 3.
uncertain
Democrats → say → January
Conviction appears unlikely in the Senate, however, where a two-thirds majority is required and Republicans hold 53 of 100 seats.
asserted
Republicans → appear → seats
House Speaker Mike Johnson opposed the effort, saying impeachment “in the middle of hostilities abroad” would be “a terrible thing for our allies and our enemies to see.”
asserted
allies → oppose → hostilities
Voter anger over the war helped Democrats win control of Congress in last week’s midterm elections, intensifying Republican divisions over a conflict that Vice-President J.D. Vance has publicly questioned and Mr. Hegseth has defended as “courageous and historic.”
Accused of taking huge kickbacks, Belknap handed President Ulysses Grant his resignation ahead of his scheduled impeachment vote and, according to a Senate history, “burst into tears.”
uncertain
Belknap → help → tears
The House impeached him anyway, but the Senate later acquitted him after falling short of the required two-thirds majority.
asserted
Senate → impeach → majority
By contrast, Mr. Hegseth is promising to stay and fight.
asserted
Hegseth → promise → contrast
Mr. Hegseth has mounted a social media campaign, saying in a defiant video message last week that he would not back down.
asserted
he → mount → message
He also drew a comparison to President Donald Trump, who was impeached twice, saying: “It didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me.”
asserted
it → draw → me
Asked if he had enough Republican support to defeat the impeachment push, Mr. Hegseth said on Monday (November 9, 2026): “We’re not worried about that.”
asserted
We → ask → that
He announced a Tuesday (November 10, 2026) press conference, his first at the Pentagon since May.
uncertain
He → announce → May
Mr. Trump has backed Mr. Hegseth and condemned the impeachment push in an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes” broadcast on Sunday (November 8, 2026).
“They want to impeach him.
asserted
They → back → him
We had two wars, we won both,” Mr. Trump said, according to a CBS transcript of the full interview.
uncertain
Trump → have → interview
Mr. Trump referred to both the Iran war, which is at an impasse, and to Venezuela, where the U.S. military deposed that country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, in a surprise January commando raid on his compound in the Venezuelan capital.
asserted
military → refer → capital
Some Republican lawmakers have expressed concern that if Mr. Hegseth stays, his strained relationship with Congress will undermine the Trump administration’s push for a $1.5 trillion defence spending package.
asserted
relationship → express → package
Mr. Massie, a Trump critic who is leaving office in January, warned in a statement on Monday (November 9, 2026) that impeachment would be “much gentler” than what’s in store for Mr. Hegseth once Democrats take control in January.
asserted
Democrats → leave → January
“They will hold hearings and trials.
asserted
They → hold → hearings
President Trump should replace Secretary Hegseth now while he can still get a replacement confirmed in the Senate,” Mr. Massie said.
asserted
Massie → replace → Senate
Democrats have promised to investigate Mr. Hegseth over issues including the firing of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior leaders.
asserted
Democrats → promise → Staff
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Sunday (November 8, 2026) he was a “hard yes” on a measure to impeach Mr. Hegseth.
asserted
he → say → Hegseth
Mr. Massie’s articles of impeachment accuse Mr. Hegseth of “high crimes and misdemeanours” ranging from waging the Iran war to various alleged abuses of power, including violating the free speech rights of U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat.
asserted
articles → accuse → Kelly
Last year, Mr. Hegseth sought to prosecute Mr. Kelly after he and five other Democrats in Congress with backgrounds in the military and intelligence urged U.S. troops to refuse illegal orders.
asserted
he → seek → orders
Mr. Hegseth accused them of sedition, something Mr. Trump at the time said in a social media post was “punishable by DEATH!”
asserted
Trump → accuse → DEATH
The Aporia
