Democratic congressional candidate Cait Conley, who served 16 years in the Army as a combat veteran, is challenging Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th Congressional District. She announced on CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ that she supports impeaching War Secretary Pete Hegseth, criticizing him for compromising U.S. national security.
During the interview, anchor Dana Bash asked Conley if she would back removing Hegseth from office due to recent controversies surrounding his leadership at the Pentagon. Conley responded emphatically, stating, ‘I believe he has been a hazard to American national security and a disgrace to the office. I would absolutely support removing him from office because his actions and decisions are failing service members who have sworn an oath to this country and deserve respect.’
Democratic candidate Cait Conley would support impeaching War Secretary Pete Hegseth, labeling him a ‘hazard to American national security.’
Bash pressed further to ascertain if ‘removing’ Hegseth meant Conley would vote for impeachment articles against him. Conley confirmed she would support impeachment due to his failure to protect America.
The statement from Conley was quickly highlighted by Lawler’s campaign manager, Ciro Riccardi, who linked it to broader criticisms of Conley following her CNN appearance. Riccardi accused Conley of embracing the party’s more extreme positions and accused her of exposing her stance through her impeachment support.
This announcement follows months after House Democrats formally introduced several articles of impeachment against Hegseth. These articles accuse him of high crimes and misdemeanors related to his management of military operations, including the Iran conflict and alleged misconduct in communication methods.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson responded in April, dismissing the impeachment efforts. Wilson emphasized Hegseth’s focus on the department’s mission, calling the efforts a distraction and emphasizing the Pentagon’s achievements in Iran.
Hegseth has faced criticism before, particularly over his use of private messaging apps for official communications. He responded to these criticisms by claiming opponents use unnamed sources to damage reputations, asserting that such tactics would not be effective against him.
Criticism of Hegseth has come from within his party as well. Outgoing Senator Thom Tillis urged President Trump to replace Hegseth, citing concerns over military leadership retention and modernization efforts. The White House rebutted Tillis’ criticism, maintaining confidence in Hegseth’s leadership.
Amid these controversies, Driscoll, a former Army Secretary, resigned, reportedly due to disagreements with Hegseth. Driscoll, however, publicly praised Hegseth’s support for Army progress despite disagreements.
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