US Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed on Tuesday urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to step down, criticizing his handling of the war against Iran and questioning his ability to fulfil his responsibilities.
His remarks came after the House of Representatives voted 211-204 to refer an impeachment resolution against Hegseth to a committee, effectively ending the immediate effort to remove him through impeachment.
Speaking to CNN, El-Sayed directly accused Hegseth of failing in his duties and mishandling the conflict. He urged the defense chief to resign voluntarily rather than wait to be removed from office.
The Michigan Democrat also criticized 11 Democratic lawmakers who were absent during the impeachment vote, saying elected representatives should attend and fulfil their responsibilities.
El-Sayed connected the conflict with the increasing financial pressure on American households. He said residents across Michigan had repeatedly raised concerns about rising fuel and grocery prices, arguing that the war was contributing to the growing cost of living.
Although he said he would evaluate any impeachment proposal independently, El-Sayed maintained that Hegseth was clearly failing to perform his duties as defense secretary. He further demanded an end to the conflict, describing the war as illegal, immoral and unethical.
Earlier Tuesday, Hegseth rejected the impeachment initiative during a news conference at the Pentagon, dismissing it as a political stunt. He argued that the allegations did not constitute serious misconduct and defended his performance in office.
The House vote followed the November 3 midterm elections, in which Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress.
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