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House Republicans Push Impeachment Vote on Defense Secretary Hegseth
· Confirmed
In Short: Republican congressman Thomas Massie plans to force a vote in the House of Representatives to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alleging violations of the US Constitution.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth official portrait (cropped).
SECWAR Attends ASEAN 2026. Staff Sgt. Dennis Buzard / Office of the Secretary of War Public Affairs / DVIDS (261028-A-RQ234-5247) — public domain dvidshub.net
Republican congressman Thomas Massie plans to force a vote in the House of Representatives to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alleging violations of the US Constitution. Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment accusing Hegseth of illegally waging war without congressional authorization and abusing his powers as Pentagon chief.
Massie's push to impeach Hegseth comes after Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate in last week's midterm elections. Massie reintroduced the impeachment articles on Monday, following his initial introduction in September.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, faces allegations of high crimes and misdemeanors, including the bombing of a school in Iran that killed 156 civilians. Massie argues that Hegseth has knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders by waging war without congressional approval.
Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, has backed efforts to impeach Hegseth, saying House Democrats plan to discuss an impeachment resolution early next week. Jeffries accused Hegseth of abusing power and undermining national security.
Hegseth dismissed the impeachment efforts, saying, “We’re not worried about that.” He added, “Didn’t work against President Trump and it won’t work with me.”
Loge expects Hegseth to be ousted instead of impeached.
The impeachment vote could take place as early as Wednesday, with some lawmakers from Trump's party signaling they might join Democrats in backing the charges.
Hegseth will deliver remarks at the Naval War College, but the exact details of his speech have not been revealed.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries previously backed efforts to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of abusing power and undermining national security.
Background
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he supports impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of abusing power and undermining national security.
What's confirmed
- When asked by reporters about the impending resolution earlier on Monday, Hegseth said: "We're not worried about that."
- Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense and former Fox News host, is facing an impeachment vote in the House this week after Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) on Monday introduced a resolution that is largely tied to the war in Iran.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced Sunday that he supports efforts to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, marking a significant development in the growing political pressure on President Donald Trump’s administration.
- Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment accusing Hegseth of illegally waging war without congressional authorization and abusing his powers as Pentagon chief.
What's still developing
- While impeachment has been "an incredibly rare process", it has become far more common since the House impeached President Bill Clinton in 1998, said Paul Gowder, a law professor at Northwestern University in Chicago.
- "Impeachment has become much more common as the country has become more politically polarised," he said, predicting several more of Trump's cabinet members may face impeachment.
- He has said his push to rid the administration of Hegseth is meant to prevent a Democrat spectacle next year.
- Loge said the chances that Hegseth would survive until the end of Trump's term are "pretty slim", but he expected Hegseth to be ousted instead of impeached.
- Peter Loge, a professor of public affairs at George Washington University, told the BBC that the impeachment measure is "likely to pass the House because the Republican majority is so slim".
- Rep. Thomas Massie is accusing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth of attempting to stifle Sen. Mark Kelly's freedom of speech over a video in which the Democrat senator urged troops to not obey lawful orders.
- The decision came after House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the cancellation of Thursday's votes, sending lawmakers home early for their campaigning recess.
- Outgoing Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) reintroduced articles of impeachment against War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday when Congress returned to Washington, D.C., kicking off what’s expected to be rigorous oversight of the Department of War and its leader in the weeks and months ahead.
- “We’re not indicting him for being bad at his job,” Hegseth said in a news conference moments after reading his articles of impeachment on the House floor.
- Massie specifically noted Hegseth’s bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran, in February—a brutal attack that killed 120 schoolchildren and 36 other civilians.
- Trump threw his support behind Hegseth on Monday, declaring he had done a "good job" and "won" wars in Venezuela and Iran -- referring to the lightning raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January, and the unresolved eight-month conflict with Tehran. Asked what would happen if Hegseth is impeached, Trump told reporters: "Yeah, I'll stand by him."
- Asked what would happen if Hegseth is impeached, Trump told reporters: "Yeah, I'll stand by him." Impeachment would be a humiliating blow for the Trump administration, but would not automatically remove Hegseth.