• Analysis
Trump Comeback Vow Meets Hegseth Impeachment Push After Midterm Elections
Donald Trump's comeback vow after the midterm elections - 'BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE' - was immediately tested by an impeachment motion against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expected as early as Monday and a Justice Department pledging to shield officials from Democrat prosecution threats.
Donald Trump promised supporters a comeback on Sunday, days after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections, but the immediate battleground was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with an impeachment motion reported for Monday and the Justice Department vowing to protect administration officials from Democrat prosecution threats.
Trump vows comeback in 'lame duck' period
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the country had taken a step backward at the ballot box and promised to return 'BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!'
But have no fear, we will be back, BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!
He added that the stock market, which had grown during his tenure, lost ground after the vote. The result leaves him facing the remaining two-year 'lame duck' stretch of his White House term.
On Friday he named hardline advisor Stephen Miller as his new chief of staff. Miller designed the administration's tough immigration policy, which analysts cited as a contributing factor in the Republicans' defeat - a loss that many in the party, including Vice President JD Vance, have been reflecting on.
Hegseth impeachment fight opens
Hakeem Jeffries, set to become speaker of the new Democrat-controlled House, said he would back an effort to remove Hegseth.
I'm a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution.
Jeffries told ABC the 'so-called secretary of defense' had abused his power, undermined national security and engineered what he called a reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, adding: 'Pete Hegseth has got to go.' The Iran war began in February, with Hegseth one of its key architects.
A Republican lawmaker, meanwhile, has reportedly planned to introduce an impeachment motion against Hegseth as early as Monday. Trump defended his secretary on Sunday.
I mean he's guilty of two things, basically winning two wars.
He pointed to the January raid on Venezuela that removed president Nicholas Maduro and to Iran. 'We won in Venezuela. We've taken out hundreds of billions of dollars. We won in 48 minutes. And we won in Iran,' Trump told reporters, saying of Iran: 'It's just a question of closing it out now or later.'
Justice Department vs congressional investigators
On Saturday Trump said he was ordering the Justice Department to examine Democratic threats to impeach members of his administration, which he likened to 'extortion.' Attorney General Todd Blanche, previously Trump's personal lawyer, pledged the department would stand behind officials, citing Miller as an example if Democrats pursue him rather than conducting oversight.
Robert Garcia, ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, told CNN that protecting the administration is not Blanche's job: 'All he wants to do is protect Donald Trump, is protect Donald Trump's cabinet and administration officials. That is not his job.'
With control of committees in both chambers, Democrats hold real investigative muscle:
- •They can summon officials to testify
- •They can demand documents
- •They can hold public hearings
Garcia said his side would pursue corruption and those committing crimes against the American public.
They can come after us however they want. We're not going to be intimidated.
Among the likely subjects: the Trump family's business and cryptocurrency dealings, government contracts involving billionaire Elon Musk, cuts to federal agencies, immigration enforcement and the conduct of the Iran war.
The next step comes immediately: the reported impeachment motion against Hegseth that a Republican lawmaker planned to introduce as early as Monday.
