The House voted 211-204 to send Rep. Thomas Massie's impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to committee, effectively blocking the effort for now.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
The Republican-led House on Tuesday rejected an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his conduct in office and his handling of the war in Iran.
The vote was 211-204 to send the impeachment resolution to committee, effectively killing the effort. The motion was a procedural attempt to stop the impeachment push outright by sending the matter back to committee.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth. The resolution largely focused on the war in Iran but also included references to Hegseth's role in carrying out military actions in Yemen and Venezuela.
The first article charges Hegseth "with waging the Iran war despite no declaration of war, statutory authorization, attack on the United States, or imminent threat," according to Massie. Three others related to Iran fault Hegseth with continuing the war after both the House and Senate directed the removal of U.S. forces; continuing hostilities after the War Powers Resolution's 60-day termination period had expired; and ignoring laws that minimize civilian casualties.
Another article charges Hegseth with directing "extrajudicial killings" of suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean, secondary strikes on survivors, and overseeing orders to U.S. personnel not to rescue shipwrecked persons. The others say Hegseth illegally seized and deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro "to assert U.S. control over Venezuela's oil reserves"; used the Defense Department to retaliate against and demote Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., for telling service members they should not follow unlawful orders; and carried out an unlawful war in Yemen.
Hegseth dismissed the impeachment articles, calling the effort a "political spectacle" during a Tuesday press conference.
"What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight, and it's not accountability. It's a political spectacle, a personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment," Hegseth said.
He also said the impeachment was "a farce, and it's a stunt and everybody knows it." Hegseth argued that all of the military actions cited by Massie were "lawful."
President Donald Trump posted his support for the defense secretary on Truth Social, saying he "gets an 'A' PLUS, PLUS, PLUS for his defense against a disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman, Thomas Massie, a TOTAL LOSER!" Trump later celebrated the House vote, saying on social media that it was the exoneration of "a Great American Patriot."
The vote may only delay an impeachment push against Hegseth, with Democrats set to take control of the House and Senate in January. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was a "hard yes" on impeaching Hegseth. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer endorsed Hegseth's impeachment as well.
If the House were to impeach Hegseth, removal would require a conviction by a two-thirds majority in the Senate. A Cabinet official in President Joe Biden's administration, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, was impeached by House Republicans over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, but the Senate dismissed all impeachment charges.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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The House voted 211-204 to refer impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to a committee, effectively killing the effort for now.
