Jeffries says Trump should push Hegseth aside or Democrats will act
Hakeem JeffriesHouse minority leader, in an interview with MS NOW after a campaign event in Peekskill, New York
After a campaign event in Peekskill, New York, Jeffries says Hegseth should be removed by the president and that Democrats will have to deal with the situation if he is not.
“And Pete Hegseth needs to be pushed aside by the president, or we’re going to have to deal with that situation if he is not.”
Interview
Where this statement fits
Should Pete Hegseth be impeached?
Members of the House have advanced multiple impeachment proposals involving Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Rep. Shri Thanedar introduced H.Res. 935 in December 2025, Rep. Yassamin Ansari introduced H.Res. 1177 in April 2026, and Rep. Thomas Massie announced in September that he would offer a privileged resolution. The proposals allege distinct conduct involving military operations, oversight, and the handling of sensitive information; the proposals themselves do not establish those allegations. Hegseth disputed the characterization that anyone was “texting war plans,” while Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson called the April effort a charade and, after Massie read his articles on September 15, defended Hegseth’s record without addressing the specific allegations. The dispute is whether the House should impeach Hegseth on the basis of the congressional proposals and available evidence.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
MS NOW report on Jeffries's October 24 campaign stop in Peekskill, New York, including his interview remarks on Hegseth.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
At a campaign event for House candidate Cait Conley, Jeffries vows to run Hegseth out of town. Asked afterward what that means, he says Democrats will hold Hegseth accountable the way they held Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem accountable.
After the quotation
Asked whether he would support the impeachment resolution, Jeffries says he is inclined to act consistently with his call in the spring of 2025 for Trump to fire Hegseth, whom he calls deeply unqualified.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
On whether the House should impeach Hegseth, Jeffries says the president should remove him and warns of unspecified action if he does not. Asked about the impeachment resolution, he does not commit to voting for it, so his position is conditional rather than an endorsement of impeachment.
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More from this case
Read the full caseMassie says he will force the vote soon after the House returns
“I’m not sure if I would do it the night we get back, but it would be soon after we return — if he’s still in the job”Read statement
Crow calls ousting Hegseth his top priority if Democrats win the House
“Pete Hegseth remains incompetent and is not doing what's necessary to protect our service members, which is why he's my priority number one if we retake the majority, to make sure we oust him from the Pentagon, because our service members actually deserve competent, serious, real leadership that will protect them and do the right thing.”Read statement
Mejia says Democrats can pursue Hegseth's impeachment and affordability at once
“I think there are some concerns within the caucus, the broader Democratic caucus, that, you know, we can’t get dragged into impeachment proceedings and instead we should focus on affordability. But I think that it is, we can walk and chew gum,”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Jeffries says Trump should push Hegseth aside or Democrats will act". First published: 2026-10-29. Last updated: 2026-10-29. https://disputeindex.com/events/7176-after-a-campaign-event-in-peekskill-new-york