Democrats’ strategy for ending the war in Iran

Detailed summary

An unsuccessful attempt to impeach Pete Hegseth is a sign of more trouble ahead | World News

THE LAWMAKERS who attended an event hosted by Elect Democratic Women, a pro-choice group, on November 10th are unlikely to have much sympathy for Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s secretary of war, who has sacked female generals and questioned the role of women in the armed forces. But Mr Hegseth might thank them for his narrow escape in an impeachment vote in the House of Representatives that afternoon. Eleven Democrats missed the vote—more than the seven-vote margin—with some delayed in traffic on their way back from the event.

That failure points to a bigger problem for Democrats. More than seven in ten voters who crushed Mr Trump’s party in the midterms said in exit polls that the war in Iran had been a crucial or major factor in their vote. Democrats are keen to respond to that fury, yet measures to remove Mr Hegseth, let alone end the war, will take time. Meanwhile, Iran continues to strike one oil tanker a day, on average.

The articles of impeachment introduced by Thomas Massie, a maverick (and outgoing) Republican congressman, accused Mr Hegseth of starting the war illegally, ignoring congressional resolutions to withdraw and showing disregard for civilian harm, as well as transgressions relating to Venezuela, Yemen and strikes on drug-smuggling boats. Democrats and Republicans alike had expected that several Republicans would break with their party and vote against Mr Hegseth. In the end, Mr Massie was the only dissident. The department of war posted an AI-generated image of the congressman weeping.

An impeachment vote will almost certainly succeed in January, when Democrats have a majority and better-whipped members. Even then, Mr Hegseth would be tried in the Senate, where at least 11 Republicans would need to break ranks with their party. That does not mean the secretary’s job is secure. Many Republicans are privately advising the White House to replace Mr Hegseth now, while a Republican-controlled Senate could confirm a successor. Mr Trump seems untroubled.

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