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The impeachment effort against US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth now stands little chance of resulting in his removal from office, unless US lawmakers are simply seeking a PR stunt, retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Earl Rasmussen tells Sputnik.

"If they really want to remove him from office, they need to make sure they have the votes available and to be made in the House and the votes there in the Senate," he says.The House of Representatives voted 211–204 on November 10 to block an effort to impeach Hegseth. Eleven House Democrats were absent. Eight articles of impeachment were introduced by Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, with all 203 Democrats who voted supporting the effort. The articles focused on the war in Iran, as well as US military actions in Yemen and Venezuela. Massie argued that Hegseth “knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders.”Eleven House Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, were absent because they believed the impeachment push would have stronger backing in Congress starting in January 2027, according to the pundit. Other factors, such as lobbying, budget issues or pressure from the Trump administration, may also have played a role, he suggests.To blame someone for the economic problems, the easiest target is the foreign policy team, including the Pentagon, he concludes.

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"If they really want to remove him from office, they need to make sure they have the votes available and to be made in the House and the votes there in the Senate," he says.

The House of Representatives voted 211–204 on November 10 to block an effort to impeach Hegseth. Eleven House Democrats were absent. Eight articles of impeachment were introduced by Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, with all 203 Democrats who voted supporting the effort. The articles focused on the war in Iran, as well as US military actions in Yemen and Venezuela. Massie argued that Hegseth “knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders.”

Eleven House Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, were absent because they believed the impeachment push would have stronger backing in Congress starting in January 2027, according to the pundit. Other factors, such as lobbying, budget issues or pressure from the Trump administration, may also have played a role, he suggests.

"It's been a lot of damage to Republican party as a result of, I mean, everything – the Caribbean, the Iran war and as a result, the gas prices and inflation and fertilizer prices," Rasmussen says. "We haven't seen the impact on food prices yet, but we will this winter and next year."

To blame someone for the economic problems, the easiest target is the foreign policy team, including the Pentagon, he concludes.

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