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House Blocks Impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Confirmed
In Short: The US House of Representatives blocked an attempt to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with the procedural vote effectively killing the impeachment effort for the remainder of the current Congress.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth official portrait (cropped).
The US House of Representatives blocked an attempt to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with the procedural vote effectively killing the impeachment effort for the remainder of the current Congress.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie introduced the articles of impeachment, but the effort was primarily backed by Democrats.
The procedural vote, which failed 211-204, was meant to refer the articles of impeachment to the Judiciary Committee for further investigation or amendment.
Congresswoman Pettersen, who helped introduce the articles of impeachment in April, expressed frustration at being denied the ability to vote on the motion.
Massie called the vote 'a procedural motion to kill the resolution,' effectively ending the impeachment drive.
Hegseth, in a Pentagon press conference, called the impeachment effort a 'political spectacle' and condemned the charges as 'slander.'
Hegseth is accused of abuses of power and conducting illegal military operations, particularly in Iran.
The procedural move in effect killed the impeachment drive for the duration of the current Congress’s term, which ends in eight weeks.
Hegseth called for immediate changes within the nation's military war colleges on Monday.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had backed efforts to impeach Hegseth, saying he was a 'hard yes' on supporting the impeachment resolution.
What this adds
The effort to impeach Hegseth was initiated by Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who lost his reelection bid earlier this year.
The procedural vote effectively ended the impeachment effort, with no further action expected before the current Congress ends in eight weeks.
Background
Hegseth, speaking at a Pentagon press conference, said the effort to impeach him was initiated by Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who lost his reelection bid earlier this year.
The House voted to refer the impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee, effectively killing the effort.
What's confirmed
- Pete Hegseth said he does not believe he will be impeached. (Photo: Secretary of defense Pete Hegseth via X/Handout via REUTERS) House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has backed efforts to impeach U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying House Democrats plan to discuss an impeachment resolution early next week.
What's still developing
- The United States House of Representatives has blocked an attempt to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a surprise reprieve for President Donald Trump’s administration as Republicans reel from their midterm election defeat.
- “We’ll have that conversation at the appropriate time,” he said.
- He chose when to file them, and chose to file them to overlap with Veterans Day, which Pete Hegseth exploited in fighting back and which also meant at least one person, Nancy Pelosi, had a pre-scheduled Veterans Day event on the other side of the country.
- Facing an expected impeachment resolution in Congress, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he's eager to litigate the policy choices that he and President Donald Trump have made in Iran and Venezuela.
- “I think it’s more likely to pass after the election than before the election,” Massie (R-Ky.) told The Post shortly before taking to the House floor to introduce eight articles of impeachment.