"Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver is adding his own commentary to the possible impeachment of U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
During his Nov. 8 segment, Oliver said the "very least" Americans could do is impeach Hegseth "as soon as possible and ideally, in a way that also ensures he'll be barred from ever holding a future federal office because it's not like he is ever going to change."
Oliver specifically addressed a recent video Hegseth shared in which he addresses the impeachment efforts.
"You see, they attack me, they attack us because we are effective," Hegseth said in the video shared on Nov. 5. "It's not going to work. We will not back down. As always, President Trump leads the way."
Poking fun at the video, Oliver said, "Nothing about
that projects strength. If anything, it has the energy of LeFou sucking up to Gaston if Gaston got winded climbing up a small flight of stairs," referencing antagonists from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." "That is so far beneath the dignity that Hegseth's office requires."
Will Pete Hegseth be impeached?
Oliver's comments come as Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, plans to force a vote to impeach Hegseth for his role in starting the Iran war without congressional approval, launching military strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea and allegedly ignoring Congress-mandated laws to minimize civilian casualties during military conflict.
"I've seen some of my colleagues say (Hegseth) has been effective and they agree with the war, so they'll vote not to impeach," Massie wrote in a Nov. 9 X post. "That's not the question though. The question is whether he committed impeachable acts, and the answer is yes, eight times."
The impeachment effort comes days after Republicans suffered historic losses in the midterm elections. Some Republicans are urging the White House to replace Hegseth before Democrats reclaim control of Congress in January.
Considered one of the most controversial figures in the Trump administration, Hegseth's position has been defined by scandals, including his use of the commercial messaging app Signal to discuss military operations, his push to livestream an execution by firing squad and his fixation on troops' testosterone levels.
Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who has launched a campaign to be the next Speaker of the House, said in an ABC interview that he would support Hegseth's impeachment.
What does Trump say about Pete Hegseth?
President Donald Trump has defended Hegseth amid impeachment speculation, and the White House social media account recently posted messages praising him.
"He’s guilty of two things: Basically winning two wars," Trump told reporters on Nov. 8. "I believe we saved the Middle East and Israel combined."
"Thanks to President Trump and @SecWar Pete Hegseth, true American strength is back," the White House said in a Nov.7 X post.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Oliver calls for Pete Hegseth's impeachment 'as soon as possible'
