Even Stephen A. Smith is Fed Up with Dems' Hegseth Impeachment Shenanigans: 'Exactly What We Don't Need'
Political commentator Stephen A. Smith chastised Democrats for getting behind an effort to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, calling it “exactly what we don’t need.”
On his Wednesday “Straight Shooter” podcast, Smith said, “To be honest and open on a very personal level, I am no fan of Pete Hegseth and how he has conducted himself as secretary of defense for the United States of America. I think that on far too many occasions when he’s not fawning over our president, he’s a [President Donald] Trump wannabe.”
“I consider him a modern-day DEI hire,” he continued.
The Democrat acknowledged Hegseth’s service as a decorated combat veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, but then pointed out he was a Fox News host immediately before Trump tapped him to be secretary of war.
“I think there are plenty of reasons for him to be gone. I want to state for the record that I would have no problem with him being fired,” Smith said.
“It wouldn’t bother me at all if Republicans and Democrats banded together, found a way to think about something other than themselves, and joined in coaxing the president to go against his selection for the Department of Defense, which ultimately became the Department of War. I have no problem with that, but impeachment is another matter entirely,” he argued.
Smith contended it would just lead to chaos down the line.
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“It’s as if these people forgot that he doesn’t answer to the president. They tried to blame him for doing his boss’s bidding. And you’re using impeachment? Why? Because guess what? If you impeach Hegseth, and you get away with pulling that off, who’s next, Marco Rubio? Who’s next after that, Trump? More of the same? Is that what we’re talking about? It’s exactly what we don’t need,” he said.
He noted that the effort to proceed with impeaching Hegseth, introduced by outgoing GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, fell short 211-204 with 11 Democratic members missing the vote. No other Republicans voted in favor of impeachment.
Massie offered six articles of impeachment against Hegseth, alleging the war against Iran and the strikes against Venezuela cartel drug boats were unlawful. He also alleged the Pentagon lacked the authority to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and make military strikes against Yemen.
“I told you all my fear was that the Democrats were going to overreach,” Smith recounted, referring to remarks he made last week after Democrats won back control of Congress.
“Is it really about affordability, the way they said it was going to be?… Or is it more about chaos?” the commentator asked.
Smith concluded regarding impeachments in the next Congress, “They’re going to do it anyway, in all likelihood. But you still got about two months to come to your senses, and to find a different strategy to minimize the chaos that has reigned over us.”
Hegseth addressed the attempt to impeach him before the vote Tuesday, telling reporters, “Make no mistake about what is happening. This is not about me.”
“Politicians in Washington have accused the sailors and pilots who struck narco-terrorist boats of war crimes for doing their job,” he continued. “Senators in cute videos have suggested the same.”
.@SECWAR “MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING. This is not about me.
Politicians in Washington have accused the sailors and pilots who struck narco-terrorist boats of WAR CRIMES for doing their job.
Senators in cute videos have suggested the same.
This resolution is the next step: put the Secretary on trial today, and the men and women who carried out those orders tomorrow.
IF THEY WANT TO COME FOR THE WARRIORS, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME THROUGH ME.”
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) November 10, 2026
He went on to argue, “Let’s be clear about what this resolution does. It tells our enemies — Iran, the cartels, every adversary watching — that the United States will actually punish its own warriors and its own civilian leadership for successfully executing lawful military operations.”
Hegseth asserted, “This is not patriotism. This is sabotage.”
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