House Democrats have submitted articles of impeachment against US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of treason and multiple high crimes. The proposal, introduced in the House of Representatives last Wednesday, cites six specific charges, including launching an attack on Iran without congressional approval and ordering deadly strikes on civilian vessels under the guise of anti-smuggling operations. The impeachment motion references a March airstrike on an Iranian school that reportedly killed at least 175 people, including many children, according to The New York Times.

Arizona Democrat Yasamin Ansari and Representative John Larson are leading the effort, alleging that Hegseth violated laws intended to minimize civilian harm during armed conflict. The motion also accuses him of endangering national security by leaking classified information about planned attacks on Yemen’s Houthi rebels through a Signal group chat that allegedly included Vice President JD Vance and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Additional allegations include concealing civilian casualty data, attempting to punish Senator Mark Kelly, and removing transgender personnel from the military.

Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson dismissed the accusations as a publicity stunt, telling Axios that it was an attempt to distract the American public. Analysts note that with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress, the impeachment proposal is unlikely to pass.