Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) made waves Friday by dismissing Democratic efforts to impeach former President Donald Trump as a “waste of time” while calling for the impeachment of two high-profile Trump administration figures: former VA Secretary Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
During an appearance on CNN’s “Situation Room,” the veteran Democratic lawmaker argued that pursuing Trump’s impeachment would be futile without a two-thirds Senate majority to convict. “We ought not be pursuing any impeachment of the president, because I don’t think we’re going to get to the two-thirds majority in the Senate, so let’s not waste time with that,” Clyburn said.
Targeting Hegseth and RFK Jr.
Instead, Clyburn turned his fire on Hegseth and Kennedy, saying Congress should focus on “corrections to the chaos, the costs, and the corruption” in Washington. When pressed by host Pamela Brown on whether the two should face impeachment, Clyburn responded bluntly: “Those two? Yes. Absolutely.”
The South Carolina Democrat accused Hegseth, who served as VA secretary under Trump, of working to “eradicate women from leadership positions in our military” and targeting African Americans in the armed forces. While not specifying Kennedy’s alleged offenses, Clyburn grouped the environmental lawyer and vaccine skeptic with Hegseth as figures who should “account for their actions.”
Strategic Retreat on Trump
Clyburn’s comments mark a notable break from some progressive Democrats who have continued pushing for Trump’s impeachment over various allegations. His pragmatic assessment reflects the political reality that convicting a former president would require substantial Republican support unlikely to materialize.
The congressman instead framed the issue as one of accountability, arguing that focusing on current officials would better serve Democratic priorities. “We have got to make our leadership accountable to the American people,” Clyburn emphasized, suggesting this approach could address what he called rampant “chaos, costs, and corruption” in the capital.
Source: www.breitbart.com β https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/11/06/clyburn-impeach-hegseth-rfk-impeaching-trump-is-waste-of-time-because-we-wont-get-votes/