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By Steve Mollman
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Democratic Representative-elect Nancy Lacore, the retired Navy admiral fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last year, said there were “probably plenty” when asked about impeachable offenses involving the Pentagon chief and predicted the issue would be resolved before she takes office.
Lacore, who flipped South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District in last week’s midterm elections after making Hegseth’s leadership of the Pentagon an issue in her campaign, was asked about the growing impeachment effort during an interview with CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday.
Her comments came as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries backed a Republican-led effort to impeach Hegseth, saying Sunday that he was a “hard yes” on a forthcoming resolution from Republican Representative Thomas Massie and declaring that the defense secretary “has got to go.”
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Newsweek reached out to Lacore, Massie, the Pentagon and the White House for comment Sunday.
What Nancy Lacore Said About Impeaching Pete Hegseth
Asked by Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan what she believed would constitute an impeachable offense by Hegseth, Lacore replied: “Yeah, I mean, I think there’s probably plenty, and I do believe that this will be handled before I get there.” Lacore is set to take office when the new Congress convenes in January.
Elaborating, Lacore referenced the war in Iran and “some of the things that we saw going on down off Venezuela,” but did not specify which actions she believed could warrant impeachment. She said the broader problem involved “corruption and the lack of strategy.”
Earlier in the interview, Lacore offered an even more sweeping assessment of the defense secretary.
“I’ve said since I launched this campaign, Pete Hegseth is the most unqualified secretary that this nation has seen,” she said. “He has caused significant damage to us as a country and put us at risk, and really damaged the readiness of our entire military force.”
She added that Hegseth was “focused on the wrong things” and should be focused on “strategy and readiness.”
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Pete Hegseth Fired Nancy Lacore From Navy Reserve Post
Lacore’s comments carry an unusual personal dimension. Hegseth removed her as chief of the Navy Reserve in August 2025, abruptly ending her 35-year military career.
Lacore, a retired three-star vice admiral who had overseen approximately 60,000 Navy Reserve sailors, said Sunday that she still does not know why she was removed.
“I was never given a reason when I was removed from my position in August 2025,” Lacore told Brennan. “I don’t think any of the other generals and admirals were ever given reasons either.”
She said her removal ultimately “opened a door” for her to continue her public service in Congress.
Lacore subsequently ran as a Democrat in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, a longtime Republican-held seat that President Donald Trump carried by 13 percentage points in 2024.
She defeated Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt after campaigning in part on her military experience and criticism of Hegseth’s stewardship of the Pentagon. Honeycutt conceded the race last week.
Lacore had previously taken a more cautious approach when asked about Hegseth’s possible impeachment. Speaking to reporters after the election, she said she would “certainly look at that if that’s what comes up,” but emphasized that her priority was delivering on affordability issues for voters.
Pete Hegseth Impeachment Effort Gains Support
The issue has become more immediate as Massie prepares to revive his effort to impeach Hegseth.
Massie previously introduced an eight-article impeachment resolution against the defense secretary in September. The resolution included allegations involving the War Powers Resolution, unauthorized military action and other U.S. military operations.
Massie has also specifically criticized Hegseth’s firing of senior military officers. In a post on X Friday, he accused the defense secretary of displaying “incompetence” and cited episodes “from firing our top generals to texting war plans to reporters.”
Massie has said he would not pursue impeachment if Hegseth resigns. He has also urged Trump to replace Hegseth while Republicans still control the Senate and could confirm a replacement before Democrats take control in January.
Jeffries said on ABC News’ This Week on Sunday that he would support Massie’s resolution.
“I’m a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution,” Jeffries said. “The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security, and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe. Pete Hegseth has got to go.”
Jeffries said House Democrats would discuss the resolution when they return to Washington on Tuesday and predicted “incredibly strong support” for it.
Hegseth, meanwhile, has dismissed the impeachment effort as political theater, describing Massie’s articles as “sham articles of impeachment” on Thursday.
Pressure on Hegseth has also come from other Republicans. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said Friday that “there are a lot of questions about Hegseth” as he discussed concerns about the administration’s strategy in Iran. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina has been particularly critical, calling his deciding vote to confirm Hegseth the “biggest regret of my career.”
President Donald Trump has publicly stood behind his defense secretary amid questions about Hegseth’s future following the midterm elections.
Trump continued to express confidence in Hegseth on Friday while signaling that broader personnel changes could be coming after Republicans’ midterm losses. In excerpts released Friday from a 60 Minutes interview scheduled to air Sunday, Trump said, “I love my Cabinet. I think they’re good,” adding that he would be making “maybe a few changes.” Asked whether he retained confidence in Hegseth, Trump replied: “I do.”
Could Nancy Lacore Vote to Impeach Pete Hegseth?
Lacore will not take office until the new Congress convenes in January, meaning she would not participate in any impeachment vote held during the current lame-duck session.
Massie’s planned resolution could force the House to act much sooner. Because Republicans retain control of the chamber until the new Congress is sworn in, any vote before January would take place under the existing GOP majority.
If an impeachment effort against Hegseth extends into the next Congress, however, Lacore could find herself in the striking position of voting on the fate of the defense secretary who removed her from one of the Navy’s most senior posts.
Under the Constitution, a simple majority in the House is required to impeach a Cabinet official. Conviction and removal would then require a two-thirds majority of senators present.
Lacore suggested Sunday that she does not expect the matter to reach that point.
“I do believe that this will be handled before I get there,” she said.
Newsweek reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
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