Citing ‘Over 200 Murders,’ Lawmaker Voices Support for Hegseth Impeachment

Shortly after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared during a Tuesday press conference that he was proud of the alleged war crimes he's committed, a Democratic lawmaker representing one of the largest military communities in the US came out in favor of his impeachment.

Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), who represents a significant portion of San Diego, explained why she would vote to advance Rep. Thomas Massie's (R-Ky.) articles of impeachment against Hegseth in a Tuesday social media post.

In supporting Hegseth's removal from office, Jacobs cited "the illegal Iran war, illegal strikes in Yemen (where he mishandled classified information via Signal), and over 200 murders in boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific," where the US military has targeted suspected drug trafficking vessels.

"He’s dangerous and needs to go," said Jacobs.

Jacobs then took to the floor of the US House of Representatives to make her case against the embattled former Fox News host.

"I'm so proud to represent San Diego, the biggest military community in the country," she said. "It's my community, my neighbors and friends, who've been shipped off to fight Secretary Hegseth's reckless war in Iran. So I take it personally when our leaders are cavalier with our servicemembers' lives. I take it personally when our leaders ask our servicemembers to take illegal action in Iran and Venezuela and Yemen."

Jacobs added that Hegseth's actions haven't made the US more secure, but have instead resulted in "a girl's elementary school bombed" in Minab Iran, and "hundreds of people murdered in boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific."

"This isn't strength, it's recklessness," Jacobs emphasized. "It's illegal, and someone should be held accountable, and we should start with Secretary Pete Hegseth."

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) explained during a Tuesday interview with CNN why she would be joining Jacobs in voting for Hegseth's impeachment.

"This is not about policy disagreements," Jayapal explained. "I sit on the [House] Judiciary Committee and I can tell you that the Constitution was designed to give Congress the power, the sole power and authority, over war."

"Pete Hegseth has ignored war powers resolutions," the Washington Democrat continued. "He never came to Congress, the president never came to Congress. He has presided over an illegal, unconstitutional war."

Jayapal said that, in addition to waging an illegal war, Hegseth has violated the US laws of armed conflict.

"Pete Hegseth is a war criminal," she said. "I don't use those words lightly. But he has literally presided over civilian casualties that were not necessary. He disbanded the office that is supposed to monitor civilian harm. He has conducted illegal boat strikes off of Venezuela."

Rep.-elect Richard Ojeda (D-NC), a retired US Army major, said during a Tuesday interview with MeidasTouch that Hegseth's boat bombing spree constituted war crimes.

"We don’t kill people in the Caribbean and just think it’s no big deal," Ojeda said. "We don’t bomb a school that kills... little girls and just say that that’s water under the bridge. It's not. Crimes have been committed."

The House is scheduled to take up a procedural vote on the impeachment articles on Tuesday. If a majority votes to advance them, a full debate and final vote on impeaching Hegseth will likely occur on Wednesday.