1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I am calling upon you to demand the immediate resignation of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and other top cabinet officials in the wake of the shocking and dangerous leak of classified U.S. war plans detailing potential strikes against Yemen. The careless mishandling of sensitive information has not only compromised national security but also put the lives of U.S. service members and our allies at tremendous risk. The irony of this catastrophic failure is impossible to ignore. The is the same administration that launched relentless attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs -- dismantling them under the false pretense that diversity initiatives weaken national security and undermine merit. Yet, under their so-called "merit-based" leadership, we now face a situation where top officials couldn't safeguard classified information or uphold the basic responsibility of securing sensitive national security communications. Our troops -- many of who come from diverse backgrounds -- are being asked to defend a country where their personal heritage has been attacked by the very administration sending them into harm's way. Secretary Hegseth's continued presence at the helm of the Department of Defense is demoralizing to those who serve, and it undermines the trust that should exist between leadership and those on the front lines. Further, I expect Congress to initiate a full investigation into whether Secretary Hegseth was intoxicated during any of the communications related to this breach. It is imperative that we determine whether impaired judgment led him to fail to recognize that the means of communication being used to discuss sensitive war plans was not secure. If intoxication played any role in this national security failure, it only underscores the urgency of his immediate resignation. The American people deserve competent, sober, and focused leadership -- especially when the stakes are this high. The mishandling of war plans cannot be excused or swept under the rug. The security of our nation, the trust of our allies, and the safety of our troops are too important to be compromised by incompetence and recklessness. Secretary Hegseth and others responsible for this gross dereliction of duty must step down immediately. If they refuse to do so, Congress must act swiftly to hold them accountable and restore trust in our national security apparatus.