Robert Reich
Role at the time: Former U.S. Secretary of Labor and public-policy professor, writing in his own Substack newsletter
Statement summary
In a September 3, 2026 post on his own newsletter, twelve days before Massie’s notice of intent, Robert Reich called Hegseth incompetent and a danger to security and wrote that if Trump would not fire him, Democrats should impeach him after taking the House in January and two-thirds of the Senate should convict him.
“Pete Hegseth is the most incompetent person in the Trump regime — with the exception of Trump himself — and a clear and present danger to the security of the United States and the world. If Trump won’t fire him, Democrats should impeach him when (hopefully) they take over the House next January, and two-thirds of the Senate should convict him.”
Opinion post on Robert Reich’s own Substack newsletter, subtitled “If Trump won’t fire him, Congress must impeach him.” Published September 3, 2026, twelve days before Rep. Massie’s notice of intent. The post’s factual assertions about Hegseth’s tenure, including Dan Driscoll’s resignation and Iran war claims, are the author’s and are not verified by this record; it is cited here for the author’s stated position on impeachment.
Why we used this label
Relative to whether the House should impeach Hegseth, Reich expressly calls for impeachment and conviction. The timing he proposes, after Democrats take the House, conditions who acts and when rather than whether removal is warranted, so this is a clear condemnation rather than a mixed or conditional position. The post predates the Massie resolution and does not address any specific article.