Scrutiny of Hegseth mounts as Democrats attempt to rein in Trump administration over Iran war – US politics live

House Democrats file impeachment articles against Trump’s defense secretary as Senate Democrats fail to pass measures to check White House power over Iran war

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House Democrats https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/15/democrats-pete-hegseth-impeachment">filed six articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, accusing the defense secretary of “high crimes and misdemeanors”, in reference to the attack on Iran without congressional authorization and deadly strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats, among other official acts.

Trump https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/15/trump-threatens-fire-fed-chair-jerome-powell">threatened to fire Jerome Powellhttps://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/15/trump-threatens-fire-fed-chair-jerome-powell"> if he stays on as US Federal Reserve chair past the end of his tenure and doubled down on a criminal investigation into renovations of the central bank’s headquarters.

Wall Street https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/15/stock-market-record-high-iran-war">scaled a fresh all-time high amid growing optimism among investors that the US-Israel war on Iran will soon be over.

The supreme court justice https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/15/ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court-conservative-judges-trump">Ketanji Brown Jacksonhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/15/ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court-conservative-judges-trump"> has delivered a sustained attack on her conservative colleagues’ use of emergency orders to benefit the Trump administration.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/15/trump-diet-coke-soda-kills-cancer">Trump defended his consumption of diet soda by suggesting it might help prevent cancer, according to recent comments shared by Mehmet Oz.

The https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/15/us-iran-indirect-talks-middle-east-war-ceasefire">US and Iran have been in indirect talks aimed at extending the two-week ceasefire beyond its expiry on 22 April, as Pakistan’s army chief arrived in Tehran to continue mediation efforts.

John Eastman, the Republican legal scholar who convinced Trump he could stay in office despite losing the 2020 election, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/apr/15/donald-trump-iran-economy-tax-day-voter-id-latest-news-updates?page=with%3Ablock-69e019938f08259d939624e6#block-69e019938f08259d939624e6">lost his license to practice law in California.