Kelly Calls for Hegseth’s Removal Amid Impeachment Articles
Sen. Mark Kelly called for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to leave office during a CNN interview with Dana Bash on November 10, saying he had never been qualified for the job and should have been dismissed earlier. Kelly also said he believed Hegseth should be impeached when Bash asked him directly about it.
Kelly sharply criticized Hegseth’s performance, saying he had mishandled the war in Iran, which Kelly argued the United States should not have entered. He also objected to Hegseth’s firing of senior admirals and generals, describing them as valuable members of the department’s leadership.
The interview came as Hegseth faced articles of impeachment, including one focused on his attacks against Kelly. Kelly said six of the eight articles, in his view, concerned Hegseth following illegal orders. He characterized that allegation as ironic.
Kelly said Rep. Tom Massie’s articles addressed what Kelly viewed as Hegseth’s failures as defense secretary, and said Massie strongly supported the effort. Kelly concluded that Hegseth’s time in the role should end.
Kelly Says Hegseth Must Go After Iran War Failures
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has failed in the job, Sen. Mark Kelly said on November 10, calling for his removal and saying he should be impeached. In a CNN interview with Dana Bash, Kelly said Hegseth was never qualified to lead the department and had already had ample grounds to be fired.
Kelly’s central indictment was the war in Iran. He said Hegseth had mishandled a conflict the United States should never have entered, while also dismissing senior admirals and generals Kelly described as valuable leaders. Those criticisms put the consequences of Hegseth’s leadership, not just his political standing, at the center of Kelly’s case.
Hegseth faces articles of impeachment, including one concerning his attacks on Kelly. Kelly said six of the eight articles, as he understood them, involved Hegseth following illegal orders, calling the allegation ironic. He said Rep. Tom Massie strongly supported the articles and argued that Hegseth’s record had made his continued service untenable.
Kelly’s argument is that a defense secretary who mishandles a war and removes experienced military leaders should not remain in office. He said Hegseth needed to go.
Kelly Uses Iran War Criticism to Press Hegseth’s Impeachment
Sen. Mark Kelly used a CNN interview on November 10 to press for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s removal, saying he should be impeached and had never been qualified for the position. Kelly’s comments came as Hegseth faced articles of impeachment, including one focused on his attacks against the senator.
Kelly framed Hegseth’s handling of the Iran war as a central failure, saying the United States should never have entered the conflict and that Hegseth had mishandled it. He also faulted the secretary for firing senior admirals and generals, whom Kelly called valuable members of the department’s leadership.
Kelly said six of the eight impeachment articles, in his view, concerned Hegseth following illegal orders. He called that allegation ironic and said Rep. Tom Massie strongly backed the articles. Kelly described the secretary’s record as so poor that he should no longer hold the job.
The case Kelly presented rests on his assessment of the war, military leadership changes and the impeachment allegations. His demand is for Hegseth’s removal; Kelly said the secretary should have been fired before now.
