Larson Calls for Immediate Resignation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) called on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to resign, following reports from the Washington Postthat Hegseth gave an illegal order resulting in a second strike to kill survivors of an initial attack on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. Yesterday, the Defense Department Inspector General filed a report detailing how Hegseth’s discussion of impending military operations over Signal chat could have imperiled American troops.
“Secretary Hegseth needs to resign,” said Larson. “Presiding over an illegal second strike in the Caribbean Sea is the last straw. He is either uninformed about military operations, or he is willfully lying to the American people to evade accountability. From leaking classified war plans in a group text to going around Congress and the President of the United States to halt weapons shipments to our ally Ukraine, Pete Hegseth has shown a repeated pattern of unbecoming conduct since the minute he was sworn in as Secretary of Defense. He is clearly unfit to serve and needs evaluation. Further, there must be swift and thorough investigations into what are clearly illegal strikes that occurred on his watch.
“This is exactly why the Founders entrusted Congress with the power to declare war under Article I of the Constitution. The legislative branch of government must assert our authority. Congress’ resolutions to end these strikes must immediately come to the Floor for a vote. Members of Congress swear an oath to abide by the United States Constitution, not Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, and their rogue administration,” Larson concluded.
Since Secretary Hegseth was sworn in:
He leaked classified military operations in a Signal chat, putting American troops in danger
He’s overseen military operations in the Caribbean Sea without Congressional authorization, including an illegal strike to kill remaining survivors on a boat off the coast of Venezuela
He halted weapons shipments to Ukraine without approval from the President or notice to Congress
He removed credentialed press from the Pentagon
Rep. Larson is a cosponsor of H.Con.Res.51 to prevent unauthorized U.S. military hostilities against Venezuela and H.J.Res. 126 to terminate the use of armed forces in the Caribbean Sea, which would halt the ongoing military strikes being ordered by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth without Congressional approval.