Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed delivered a blistering message to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a CNN interview, questioning why he remains in office and urging him to resign.
The remarks came after House Republican leaders blocked an immediate impeachment vote against Hegseth, whose handling of the Iran war has drawn criticism from lawmakers.
During the interview, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked El-Sayed whether Democrats should revive the impeachment effort once they take control of Congress in January.
“Hegseth, Secretary Hegseth was on the verge of potentially facing an impeachment vote today, but Republican leaders were successful in killing it. Is that something you want to see Democrats revive?” Collins asked.
El-Sayed responded by addressing Hegseth directly.
“Can you imagine being Pete Hegseth right now? Like, why are you still in your job?”
He continued:
“I mean, it’s an open question, like, Pete, like, really, just open question, why are you still doing this job? You are really bad at this!”
The senator-elect accused Hegseth of failing to fulfill his responsibilities as defense secretary and criticized his handling of the conflict with Iran.
“You are failing your responsibility. You have mishandled this war, and nobody really actually understands what it is you’re about,” El-Sayed said.
“Every day you’re talking about fighting a new cultural war, but, like, you’re supposed to be waging an actual war that is actually illegal on its own terms.”
The claim that the war is illegal reflects El-Sayed’s criticism; it is not a legal finding established by the interview.
El-Sayed then delivered his most direct message.
“So, just resign. Make it easy for everybody instead of, in the end, getting taken out, because that is clearly what’s happening.”
He ended with another pointed remark:
“So, Pete, just take it from me, like, you’re not good at this.”
The confrontation followed a Republican-led procedural maneuver that prevented the House from immediately considering impeachment articles against Hegseth.
The effort has not resulted in Hegseth’s removal. Even if a future Democratic-controlled House votes to impeach him, conviction and removal would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
Hegseth has rejected the impeachment effort, while Trump has continued to publicly support his defense secretary.
For now, Hegseth remains in office. But El-Sayed made clear that he believes the secretary should leave voluntarily rather than face another impeachment fight when the new Congress convenes.
Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed: "Can you imagine being Pete Hegseth right now? Like, why are you still in your job? I mean, it’s an open question. Like, Pete, like really just open question. Why are you still doing this job? You are really bad at this. You are failing your responsibility. You have mishandled this war."
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 11, 2026
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