War Secretary Pete Hegseth‘s circle of support is shrinking as he battles unsubstantiated charges from congressional Democrats and liberal media that he ordered a double-tap strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug boat.
In a first test of his support around the nation, likely voters narrowly said that they wanted him impeached over the attacks.
In the latest Rasmussen Reports survey shared with Washington Secrets on Tuesday, Democrats and independents led the way in favoring impeaching and removing Hegseth from office.
The survey revealed the complicated nature of the Trump administration’s policy of striking alleged drug gang boats off Venezuela’s coast. In it, Americans said they like the offensive action but aren’t clear about the September strikes on one of those boats.
When asked if they support President Donald Trump’s strike first policy, 57% said that they approve of “using the military against foreign drug smugglers, including 38% who ‘strongly approve.’” Just 39% don’t.
That’s apparently because a supermajority of 84% believe that narcotics are an epidemic problem in America, and most come from Central and South America.
But as is usually the case when individual wartime strikes are shown, those numbers shrank when the Sept. 2 strike of an alleged drug shipment was released. In that attack, a second strike was ordered after two survivors of 11 on board were seen around the boat.
The Washington Post claimed that Hegseth ordered everybody to be killed — the so-called double-tap charges he has denied. Other media, notably the New York Times, disputed Hegseth’s involvement in the second strike, which liberals claim was illegal.
Reporter: “Are you committed to releasing the full video?”
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) December 8, 2025
Trump: “Didn't I just tell you that?”
Reporter: “You said that it was up to Sec. Hegseth.”
Trump: “You are the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place…You are an obnoxious, actually a terrible reporter.” pic.twitter.com/AqWl4nNpfG
The war secretary is currently mulling releasing the video of the second strike.
Since the controversy hit the Pentagon, Democrats have been lining up to decry the policy and the second strike on survivors. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) said he would file articles of impeachment against Hegseth, charging that the military strike orders on the suspected drug shipments are illegal.
Overall, Rasmussen found voters split on the proposal, with 43% backing impeachment and 39% against it.
But the numbers show that only Republicans are backing Hegseth. In the survey, 64% of Republicans would not impeach him, while 65% of Democrats would. And independents, by a 41% to 35% margin, would impeach and remove Hegseth.
Trump, so far, has signaled support for Hegseth, who has faced liberal criticism since before he was confirmed for the job.
