(WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/30/26) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, and CAIR Action, a leading Muslim political organization, today released a comprehensive report documenting war crimes, constitutional violations, and other offenses that is meant to serve as a basis for Congress to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
CLICK HERE: READ THE REPORT
The report has been submitted to congressional leadership, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, and relevant oversight bodies, including the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and the Department of Justice.
Secretary Hegseth is testifying this morning before the Senate Armed Services Committee for the first time since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. Yesterday, he testified before the House Armed Services Committee, where he defended the Department of Defense’s $1.5 trillion budget request and the Trump administration’s execution of its illegal war in Iran.
Titled “The Case for Impeaching Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth,” the report presents a detailed factual, legal, and policy analysis of the Trump administration’s unauthorized war on Iran. It documents Secretary Hegseth’s decisions to dismiss traditional rules of engagement, dismantle offices within the Pentagon dedicated to ensuring compliance with the laws of war, threaten genocidal attacks on civilian infrastructure, carry out attacks on civilians directly and in concert with the Israeli military, and justify the illegal war using religious rhetoric.
“This report establishes a factual record demonstrating that the use of force was undertaken without lawful authorization and in a manner that resulted in foreseeable and preventable harm to civilians,” said report co-author CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert S. McCaw. “It further documents the removal of legal safeguards designed to ensure compliance with domestic and international law. Congress now has a clear evidentiary basis to exercise its constitutional authority, including by impeaching Secretary Hegseth.”
“Secretary Hegseth did not merely fail to prevent attacks on civilians in this illegal war; he set the conditions that made them inevitable,” said report co-author CAIR Action Executive Director Basim Elkarra. “The dismantling of the rules of engagement and legal guardrails, followed by the execution of an unauthorized war, resulted in a predictable pattern of unlawful violence against civilians. This record establishes a basis for impeachment and raises serious questions of criminal liability."
The report identifies a consistent pattern of misconduct, including:
- The removal of military legal oversight and the disregard of rules of engagement governing the use of force;
- The dismantling of civilian harm mitigation structures within the Department of Defense;
- The killing of at least 1,700 Iranian civilians, including more than 250 children;
- The targeting and destruction of civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, water systems, and religious sites;
- Public statements by senior officials demonstrating awareness of and intent to carry out attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure;
- The incorporation of personal religious rhetoric into official military framing, contributing to the unlawful targeting of civilians; and
- The initiation and continuation of hostilities in the absence of congressional authorization or evidence of an imminent threat.
Drawing on U.S. statutory law, the Constitution, and international humanitarian law, the report concludes that these actions constitute war crimes under the War Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. § 2441), as well as violations of the War Powers Resolution and Article I of the Constitution.
CAIR and CAIR Action note that the Trump administration’s unauthorized war on Iran is approaching the 60-day mark under the War Powers Resolution, triggering a statutory requirement for the president to seek an additional 30-day extension from Congress to continue hostilities.
CAIR and CAIR Action stated that the report is intended to contribute to the factual record before Congress, reinforce constitutional limits on the use of force, and support accountability for actions taken under U.S. authority during the conflict.
CAIR is a 501(c)(3) organization and America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
CAIR Action is a 501(c)(4) organization. Its mission is to engage, educate, and mobilize Muslim voters, train emerging leaders, and champion policy priorities that enhance the well-being and representation of Muslim communities. Through its work, CAIR Action aims to foster a more equitable and inclusive democratic society where the rights and voices of Muslims are acknowledged and respected.
ENDCONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; Basim Elkarra, Executive Director, CAIR Action, belkarra@cairaction.org; CAIR Action Communications, media@cairaction.org