SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign voluntarily, accusing him of damaging the Pentagon as lawmakers weigh impeachment over the Iran war.
Scaramucci Calls For Voluntary Pentagon Exit
“Hegseth would be wise to leave on his own volition,” Scaramucci, a former Trump White House communications director, wrote in an X post Monday. “The damage he has done to the Dept of Defense has been consequential and well documented.”
His criticism followed fresh congressional pressure on Hegseth after Republicans lost both chambers in the November 3 midterms.
Scaramucci previously suggested Hegseth might not survive the week. Responding to journalist Susan Glasser, he predicted the secretary’s departure was “way under by year-end.” His latest remarks go further, explicitly urging resignation, although his assessment of the damage remains an opinion.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has also demanded Hegseth’s exit. Massie plans to revive impeachment articles alleging unauthorized military action against Iran. Massie said the process would stop if Hegseth resigned, while House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) asked, “Why is Pete Hegseth still around?”
Trump Defends Hegseth Amid Impeachment Push
Reuters reported on Sunday that Jeffries supported Massie’s impeachment effort as incoming Democrats prepared broader oversight. An earlier report had noted that some Trump advisers had discussed replacing Hegseth, but the president rejected the prospect, claiming, “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.”
The controversy also involves the Pentagon’s leadership shakeups. Critics questioned Hegseth’s dismissal of senior officers, strained relationships with lawmakers and handling of the Iran campaign, while his supporters credit him with ending diversity programs and redirecting military priorities toward warfighting.
Hegseth Rejects Calls To Leave Office
Hegseth dismissed the impeachment effort as a “sham” in a November 5 video, declaring, “We will not back down.” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth remained “100 percent committed” to serving through Trump’s term and rejected allegations of wrongdoing.
Despite the pressure, Trump has publicly defended his defense secretary. The House could vote on impeachment, but removing Hegseth would also require a two-thirds Senate vote and no resignation or dismissal has been announced.
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