U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, declared on Thursday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is “unfit” for his post and promised to force a House vote on removing him. The announcement came within hours of President Donald Trump publicly scrapping Hegseth’s plan to livestream the military execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan. For readers of War & Defense coverage, the episode marks a rare moment in which a sitting president reversed his own Pentagon chief in public, and a lawmaker responded by pushing for that chief’s removal.
What Khanna Said
Khanna posted the statement on X at 10:51 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. The full post reads:
“Hegseth is unfit.
The day Congress is back, we will force a vote to pass @RepThomasMassie’s impeachment resolution and remove him.”
The post is two sentences long and does not specify a date for the vote. It does not cite a particular act or decision as the basis for the “unfit” judgment. It does, however, tie Khanna’s effort to a resolution already filed by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican.
The Reversal That Preceded the Post
Hours earlier, Trump had overruled Hegseth. Reuters reported that Trump “scrapped plans to livestream the execution of the former Army major who killed 13 people at Fort Hood,” and that the reversal marked “a rare public disagreement” between the president and one of his closest allies. Hegseth had announced that Hasan’s Dec. 3 firing-squad execution at the Fort Hood base in Texas would be public, and the Pentagon later confirmed it would be livestreamed. No other country is known to televise or livestream judicial executions.
Trump’s Statement
In a social media post, Trump wrote that streaming the execution “might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan but, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device.” He added: “He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.” Victims’ families may still attend in person if they choose. A White House official, speaking anonymously, said Trump and his advisers had been unaware of the livestream plan.
The Backlash
The Associated Press reported that the livestream plan drew bipartisan criticism, with many lawmakers warning that images of the execution could be used to fuel radicalization. Vice President JD Vance said earlier this month that “if it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it.” House Speaker Mike Johnson voiced similar sentiments. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called the move a “barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered.” Opinion polls showed a majority of Americans opposed the livestream, and Pope Leo condemned capital punishment in all its forms.
Hegseth’s Rationale and the Pentagon Response
Hegseth had said broadcasting the execution was needed so people understand that “there’s serious consequences for these types of things.” After Trump’s reversal, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Trump and Hegseth had discussed the decision before it was announced. “The Secretary supports the President’s decision, and they are completely aligned,” Parnell said. Trump had earlier distanced himself from the plan, saying “they’re making a determination about that,” while stating of Hasan: “He will be killed. He will be, through firing squad. I really don’t care how he goes, as long as he goes.”
Republicans and Democrats React
Sen. John Curtis, a Utah Republican, called the cancellation “the right move.” Rep. Richard Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat, called the original plan “a profound failure of moral judgment and basic human decency.” The dispute lands about three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, which will determine whether Republicans keep control of Congress.
The Massie Resolution Khanna Is Backing
Massie introduced his impeachment resolution on Sept. 15, reading eight articles on the House floor. He accused Hegseth of “engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization.” The articles also allege Hegseth directed unlawful use of deadly force in strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats and disregarded laws meant to limit civilian casualties. “Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable,” Massie said in a news release. Massie also said Johnson ended the House’s work week a day early to avoid taking up the measure before the midterms. Johnson rejected that characterization, saying the House “has done its work,” and called the resolution “a stunt.”
A Second Impeachment Effort
Massie’s resolution is not the only one. In April, Rep. Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat, led House Democrats in filing six articles of impeachment. They allege unauthorized war against Iran, violations of the law of armed conflict, and reckless handling of sensitive military information. Earlier, Rep. Shri Thanedar, a Michigan Democrat, filed articles over a lethal boat strike and the handling of classified data. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said then that “Republicans will never allow articles of impeachment to be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives.”
The Pentagon’s Defense of Hegseth
The Pentagon has dismissed the impeachment push. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said: “Secretary Hegseth has slashed bureaucracy, unleashed innovation, and delivered for our warfighters every step of the way.”
Khanna’s Record on Hegseth and the Iran War
Khanna has been a consistent critic of the administration’s Iran policy. At a House Armed Services Committee hearing before the war began, he pressed Hegseth directly: “Will you today assure the American people and the MAGA movement that you will not bomb Iran unless we are hit?” Hegseth answered that the president was “earnestly and completely committed to a peace process.” After strikes resumed this summer, Khanna wrote on X on June 27: “These strikes are a blatant violation of the War Powers Resolution that we passed. Trump must stop this war now — or we will take him to court to compel him to do so.”
The Crime at the Center of the Dispute
Hasan, an Army psychiatrist and major, opened fire on Nov. 5, 2009, inside a medical building at Fort Hood where soldiers were waiting to receive immunizations and deployment clearances. A military jury convicted him of premeditated murder for killing 13 unarmed soldiers and wounding 32 others. Law enforcement shot Hasan during the attack, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He now uses a wheelchair. The AP reported that the U.S. military has not executed a service member by firing squad since World War II, and that the last military execution was the hanging of Army Pvt. John Bennett on April 13, 1961.
Capital Punishment Under Scrutiny
Capital punishment was already facing renewed scrutiny. Reuters reported that Christa Pike, convicted of murder in the 1990s, survived two lethal injections in a failed execution attempt by Tennessee last month and required hospitalization. An attorney for Hasan could not immediately be reached, and it was unclear whether legal challenges would delay the Dec. 3 date.
What Comes Next
Reuters reported it was unclear whether the split with Trump would politically imperil Hegseth, given their strong ties. The Pentagon maintains the two are aligned. Khanna’s post sets no timetable beyond the day Congress returns, and Republicans, who hold the House by a narrow margin, have shown no appetite for taking up the impeachment measure.