Comer says Republicans have 'a lot of questions' about Hegseth as impeachment push looms

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Friday that members of his own conference are raising pointed questions about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, just days before Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is expected to launch an impeachment effort against the Pentagon chief.

Asked during an appearance on NewsNation, The Hill's partner network, whether he would like to see new leadership at the Pentagon, Comer deflected to the White House. "Well, that's going to be a decision that President Trump's going to have to make," he said.

"But I can tell you with a high level of confidence that .. there's a lot of questions about Hegseth," Comer continued. "We have no idea what the strategy is moving forward in Iran. No one's happy about Iran, and I think the Republican voters are more upset about what's going on in Iran than the Democrat voters."

Comer's remarks landed as The Hill reported that Trump has been privately sounding out allies about Hegseth's standing, with one source saying the Pentagon chief is in "a lot of trouble." In public, however, the president has stood by his Defense secretary, saying he is not weighing a replacement and praising Hegseth, a former Army National Guard major, as "doing a very good job."

A senior Pentagon official told The Hill on Thursday that swapping out Hegseth is not "practical," citing how hard it would be to win Senate confirmation for a successor during the lame-duck session, before Democrats take control of the House following what the source described as a midterm blue tsunami. "He is not terribly worried about being replaced," the official added.

Hegseth faces a more immediate threat in the form of Massie, who has vowed to reintroduce articles of impeachment against him during the lame-duck session. The resolution is expected to draw significant backing from Democrats as well as some Republicans.

The Defense secretary fired back at the effort in a video posted Thursday, framing it as political theater from a "disgruntled, defeated congressman." "Just like they tried against President Trump twice. You see, their policies don't work, so their obsession with political theater disguised as power drives them to try to destroy their opponents. It's all about the politics of personal destruction," Hegseth said. "Didn't work against President Trump, and it won't work with me. You can rest assured of that."

Massie, an outspoken critic of the Iran war, has said he would stand down and not reintroduce the resolution if Hegseth resigns. So far, there is no indication the Pentagon chief intends to do so.

Comer also said Friday that he is hearing from Republican voters who are "mad" about the Iran war, which has stretched past eight months, and frustrated by rising gas prices. "They are mad that we're in this situation in Iran," he told NewsNation host Markie Martin. "They're mad over gas prices, and a lot of them stayed home. I do not think, at least in Kentucky, I don't think that these upset MAGA people voted Democrat. They just didn't vote. So we've got to regain their trust. I think we can do it."