1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

I'm calling on you to demand the immediate removal of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and support a full investigation into potential war crimes violations stemming from his public statements and the military operations he has overseen. Hegseth's declaration of "no quarter, no mercy" against Iran violates the Hague Convention, the 1996 War Crimes Act, and US military law. The mere announcement of "no quarter" from a government official can itself constitute a war crime, as established at Nuremberg. His rhetoric isn't just words. A US strike on a girls' school killed over 170 people, most of them children. More than 1,444 Iranians are dead. Hegseth boasted about granting "maximum authorities" and rules of engagement "designed to unleash American power, not shackle it," while dismissing "stupid rules of engagement." This is dangerous, lawless conduct from someone entrusted with our military. Human Rights Watch warns that such rhetoric shapes the command environment and raises serious red flags for atrocity prevention. Senator Merkley rightly called Hegseth a "dangerous amateur" whose policies led directly to the school attack. Remove him now and investigate whether his orders have translated into war crimes on the battlefield. Our military must operate within the law.