Hegseth faces impeachment vote as early as Nov. 10
Rep. Thomas Massie plans to reintroduce articles of impeachment against the Defense Secretary next week, citing the lack of congressional approval for the Iran war.
By Samira Khalil ·
U.S. House lawmakers may vote on the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as soon as next week.
The push for removal gained traction after the Iran war, which Hegseth championed, contributed to Republicans losing control of Congress in the midterm elections. Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, stated he will reintroduce articles of impeachment when the chamber returns from recess. This follows an earlier effort by Massie to remove Hegseth for waging the conflict without a congressional declaration of war.
President Donald Trump defended the Secretary on Thursday, calling his performance a "fantastic job." The President suggested that Hegseth faces opposition because of his crackdown on Pentagon diversity initiatives. Hegseth responded to the political pressure by posting a six-minute video on X on Thursday. In the video, he referred to Massie as a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" who filed "sham articles of impeachment against yours truly."
Massie, who lost his primary after Trump backed a challenger, suggested on Thursday that Trump fire Hegseth immediately. This move would allow the current Republican-controlled Senate to confirm a successor before Democrats take control in January. Massie noted in a social media post that his impeachment resolution is a gentler alternative to the hearings and trials likely to occur once Democrats hold the majority.
If the House passes an article of impeachment, the Senate must begin a trial unless Republican members muster enough votes to set the matter aside. A vote to set the matter aside would put lawmakers on record supporting the Secretary after voters punished the party over the unpopular war. Massie’s bid is expected to receive widespread Democratic support and potentially enough Republican votes to pass.
The margin for impeachment may widen because Republicans who lost this week may skip the lame duck session. Hegseth, a former National Guardsman and Fox News host, has faced criticism since his nomination regarding his qualifications to lead the military. He was narrowly confirmed and has maintained a combative relationship with Congress, including refusals to share cost data with oversight committees.
Vice President JD Vance blamed the Republicans’ midterm loss squarely on the conflict. In a post on X on Wednesday, Vance wrote, "The reason we lost is the war." Trump has insisted he has no plans to oust Hegseth, maintaining that the Secretary has done a good job.
