Abdul El-Sayed, the U.S. senator-elect for Michigan, had a scathing message for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during his Tuesday interview on CNN: “Just resign.”
The progressive Democrat stopped by CNN’s “The Source” to speak with Kaitlan Collins following his big win last week and was asked to speak on the party’s agenda for 2027. Specifically, Collins asked El-Sayed to weigh in on the failed impeachment effort Hegseth faced Tuesday, prompting the Michigan politician to give his blunt assessment on the defense secretary’s performance.
“Can you imagine being Pete Hegseth right now? Why are you still in your job? I mean, it’s an open question,” El-Sayed said, before directing his gaze directly into CNN’s camera.
“Pete, like really, just open question: why are you still doing this job?” he continued. “You are really bad at this. You are failing at your responsibility. You have mishandled this war. And nobody really actually understands what it is you are about. Every day you’re talking about fighting a new culture war. But, you’re supposed to be waging an actual war that is actually illegal on its own terms.”
El-Sayed then offered up some advice to Hegseth, noting on-camera, “So, just resign. Make it easy for everybody, instead of in the end getting taken out because that is clearly what’s happening.”
“So, Pete, just take it from me, you’re not good at this,” he concluded.
A representative for the Pentagon did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
El-Sayed’s comments came after House Republicans quashed a resolution that would have impeached the defense secretary. The effort, which was brought forward by Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and backed by Democrats, would have seen the Pentagon chief removed for his conduct in office and his handling of the war in Iran.
President Donald Trump spoke out in defense of Hegseth after the impeachment effort failed in a 211-204 vote, writing on Truth Social, “The Democrats’ attempt to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has miserably FAILED! Every single Republican, except Thomas Massie, a major LOSER, voted in favor of Pete.”
“Again, Victories in Venezuela and Iran, the Best Recruitment Numbers in the History of the Military (Long waiting lists to get in!), and Spirit like rarely seen before, led to the EXONERATION of a Great American Patriot,” he continued. “The Democrats continue to weaponize and abuse the United States of America. They must be stopped! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
