Former NATO commander Stavridis advised Hegseth to resign amid impeachment threat

Former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe James Stavridis urged US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to consider resigning, comparing his situation to Donald Rumsfeld's departure in 2006. At the same time, according to CNN, a vote on impeaching the secretary is being prepared in the House of Representatives, initiated by Republican Thomas Massie.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 8 November 2026 at 21:512 min read

The key facts

James Stavridis, speaking on CNN, advised Pete Hegseth to resign, drawing a parallel with Donald Rumsfeld in 2006.
According to CNN, Thomas Massie intends to initiate an impeachment vote in the House of Representatives as early as next week.
Donald Trump publicly supported Hegseth and said he does not intend to dismiss him.

Call for resignation

Former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe James Stavridis said that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should consider stepping down from his post. The retired admiral voiced his position on CNN amid criticism of the Pentagon chief over the drawn-out conflict with Iran. Stavridis drew a parallel with events twenty years ago: “I remember Donald Rumsfeld, for whom I worked for two years. In 2006, against the backdrop of an extremely unpopular and unsuccessful war in Iraq, Secretary Rumsfeld made the very difficult decision to resign. I think Secretary Hegseth should consider doing the same,” — Life.ru quotes his words.

Impeachment vote

The statement came amid reports that an impeachment process against the secretary may begin. According to CNN, the House of Representatives could hold the corresponding vote as early as next week. Republican Thomas Massie intends to put forward the initiative, and some of his fellow party members are ready to support it. Life.ru previously reported that Hegseth faces impeachment amid Republicans' dissatisfaction with the war with Iran: some lawmakers accused the secretary of lacking a convincing strategy for ending the conflict and of overly optimistic assessments of the American military's capabilities.

Reasons for discontent and Trump's position

Discontent with Hegseth intensified after the Republicans' poor showing in the November 3 midterm elections. CNN sources among American lawmakers claim that the secretary played a significant role in the decision to launch a military operation against Iran, while overestimating the United States' ability to achieve a quick victory. In critics' view, the campaign did not deliver the expected results, and Hegseth continued to advocate for escalating strikes on Iran. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump publicly backed the secretary and said he does not intend to dismiss him. Thus, the Pentagon chief's fate depends on whether Massie's initiative gains enough supporters in the House of Representatives and whether he retains the president's support.