‘Fire Him Immediately’: Senators Demand Pete Hegseth’s Ouster After Deadly Strike on Iranian Schoolchildren

Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Elizabeth Warren are calling for the immediate firing of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after a deadly bombing in Iran that reportedly killed more than 150 civilians, many of them schoolchildren.

In a video statement released Thursday night, the two lawmakers said Hegseth should be removed from his position as outrage grows over the Feb. 28 strike on a school in the southeastern Iranian city of Minab. The bombing happened during the first day of President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran.

Warren said preliminary findings from a Pentagon review suggest the United States was likely responsible for the strike, which she said killed mostly young girls between the ages of seven and fourteen.

“Pete Hegseth needs to be fired—immediately,” Van Hollen said in the video.

Pete Hegseth needs to be fired.

New reporting seems to confirm our worst fears: it was a US missile that struck the girls school in Iran.

That strike comes at a time when Secretary Hegseth has systematically weakened US protections against civilian harm by our military.… pic.twitter.com/A34bcLQI3w

— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) March 12, 2026

Human rights organizations have condemned the attack and called for an independent investigation, warning that the strike could amount to a possible war crime if confirmed.

President Trump has repeatedly denied that U.S. forces carried out the bombing, claiming instead that Iran was responsible. However, critics say internal intelligence assessments indicate the strike was likely caused by a U.S. missile.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib also criticized the administration this week, saying there is enough evidence to hold officials accountable.

“Trump should be impeached. Hegseth should be fired,” Tlaib said. “The administration must be held accountable.”

Van Hollen and Warren argue that the incident reflects deeper problems at the Pentagon under Hegseth’s leadership. They pointed to previous controversies, including criticism of his approach to military rules of engagement.

Hegseth has frequently criticized strict battlefield rules designed to reduce civilian casualties, calling them unnecessary restrictions on military action. Critics say weakening those safeguards increases the risk of civilian deaths and potential violations of international law.

The Pentagon has not yet released a final report on the Minab bombing, and investigations into the strike are ongoing.

Remember: Trump bombed an elementary school full of kids AFTER @PeteHegseth gutted the Pentagon's civilian harm prevention office.

First they lied and blamed Iran. Now our military admits it was a mistake.

FIRE Hegseth.
DEMAND an independent investigation.
END THIS WAR! https://t.co/Rn97yOpEKx

— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) March 12, 2026

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