Thomas Massie Forces House Vote on Impeaching Hegseth Over Iran War
Rep. Thomas Massie moved to force a House vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war. Democrats expect to back it, and Republican leaders oppose the vote.
Representative Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the House floor on Monday, 9 November, setting up a vote that must take place by Wednesday. Massie accuses Hegseth of violating the Constitution and federal law by ignoring Congress's authority over military action, including the war with Iran. The move comes shortly after lawmakers returned to Washington for the first session since the midterm elections.
What the articles allege
The resolution contains eight articles of impeachment. Massie reintroduced charges he first filed in September, accusing Hegseth of abusing his powers and endangering members of the Armed Forces through a series of military operations. The resolution was read in full on the House floor.
Massie alleges that Hegseth "knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders to initiate war against a foreign nation," according to CNN's account of his remarks. The resolution also states that Hegseth "has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office," as quoted by The New York Times.
Hegseth has rejected the allegations and described the effort as a political sham. He said he agreed with President Donald Trump that he would "do it again" on the decision to launch the war with Iran, and he has said he will hold a news conference on Tuesday to address the push.
Party divisions and the vote count
Republican leaders had sought to avoid a vote on a senior member of Trump's cabinet, and the resolution was brought up over their objections. Democrats are widely expected to support impeachment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Sunday that he was a "hard yes."
Republicans hold a razor-thin majority, so a small number of defections or absences could allow the charges to advance, according to The New York Times. Several Republicans have voiced frustration with Hegseth without committing to impeachment. Representative French Hill of Arkansas said he wanted to hear the arguments but cautioned that poor performance alone does not necessarily amount to an impeachable offense.
Administration response
President Trump has defended Hegseth and said he intends to keep him in office. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Paris, where he was attending a G7 foreign ministers' meeting, backed Hegseth and said he had seen "the professionalism he brings" to his work.
The impeachment push comes amid broader debate among newly elected Democrats over how aggressively to pursue investigations into the administration. Representative-elect Brad Lander said the House should also consider impeaching FBI Director Kash Patel and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., while urging Democrats to first advance their legislative priorities.
What happens next
The procedural clock set in motion by Massie's resolution will require the House to take up the question of impeachment within the next two days. Whether the charges advance will depend on how many Republicans vote with Democrats, and on attendance. Hegseth's news conference on Tuesday is expected to be the next major public response from the Pentagon.
