Michigan Senator-Elect Abdul El-Sayed Urges Pete Hegseth to Resign Over Iran War, Calls for Focus on Living Costs

Michigan’s Democratic senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign over his handling of the Iran war, while urging Democrats to tie congressional investigations to relief for Americans struggling with living costs. ⠀ “Why are you still doing this job?” El-Sayed asked Hegseth directly during a November 10 interview with Kaitlan Collins on CNN. “You are really bad at this. You are failing your responsibility. You have mishandled this war.” ⠀ “Just resign. Make it easy for everybody,” he added, predicting Hegseth would ultimately be removed. ⠀ The remarks followed a 211–204 House vote to refer Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s impeachment resolution to committee, effectively blocking an immediate vote on the charges. Eleven Democrats were absent; when asked about them, El-Sayed responded: “You should show up and do your job.” ⠀ The incoming senator tied his criticism of Hegseth to rising household expenses, recounting Michigan voters’ complaints about paying $80 to fill a vehicle and struggling to buy groceries. He called the Iran war “illegal, immoral, and unethical” and argued it was worsening Americans’ financial pressures. ⠀ But El-Sayed cautioned against treating impeachment as an end in itself. Whether cabinet officials, including Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., were performing well was secondary, he said, to making gasoline, groceries and medical care more affordable. ⠀ He argued that congressional inquiries should be judged by whether they helped solve everyday problems. El-Sayed, elected from Michigan on November 3, will take office when the new Congress convenes in January.