PoliticsTrending
Rep. Thomas Massie introduced an impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, focusing on the war in Iran and military actions in Yemen and Venezuela. A House vote could come by mid-week.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, introduced an impeachment resolution against U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday as the House opened for the first day of sessions after the midterms.
The resolution largely focuses on the war in Iran and includes references to Hegseth’s role in carrying out military actions in Yemen and Venezuela. Massie said the secretary’s actions amount to “high crimes and misdemeanors” and his leadership at the Pentagon “thus warrants impeachment.”
A vote in the House could come by mid-week, putting pressure on Republicans — many of whom blamed their election wipeout on the Iran war — but next steps are highly uncertain. If the House votes to impeach Hegseth, it would next go to the Senate for a potential trial. Republicans remain in the majority in both chambers, until the new Congress convenes in January with Democrats in control.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, warned lawmakers against impeaching the Defense secretary while the U.S. is engaged in military actions in the Middle East.
“Impeaching a Cabinet secretary right now, especially the Department of War in the middle of hostilities abroad would be a terrible, terrible look, a terrible thing for our allies and our enemies to see that,” Johnson said as he opened the chamber.
“We don’t impeach Cabinet secretaries for political gain or for cheap tricks, and I think that’s what this is and I think everybody knows it.”
Most House Democrats are expected to support impeaching Hegseth, with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries saying over the weekend it’s time for the Defense secretary to go.
Trump defended Hegseth to reporters on Sunday night.
“He’s guilty of two things, basically winning two wars,” Trump said. “I believe we saved the Middle East and Israel combined. And it’s awfully hard to say let’s impeach somebody who did that.”
Hegseth maintains he’s eager to litigate the military actions that he and President Donald Trump have taken against Iran, Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and Venezuela’s previous leaders.
“If you want to take issue with what we did in Epic Fury or Rough Rider or nabbing Nicolás Maduro, you’re taking issue with the troops and what they accomplished, which is historic,” Hegseth told reporters Monday.
Hegseth announced that he would hold a rare news conference on Tuesday — his first in over 180 days — on the impeachment threat. His last briefing was in May.
After giving a speech at the Naval War College in Rhode Island, Hegseth brushed aside the impeachment push.
“There’s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,” he told reporters. He added that “if we want to litigate” the military actions that the Trump administration has taken, “I’m happy to do it all day long.”
“My team, we’re not worried about the noise — it’s what I told the troops, too — ‘don’t worry about the noise,’” he said.
The impeachment push follows severe Republican losses in the midterm elections that cost the party control of Congress. About six in 10 voters said the U.S. made the “wrong decision” in taking military action against Iran, according to The AP Voter Poll, a survey of more than 100,000 voters in the United States.
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.
The day's checked news, by email
One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Or follow for the latest news:
No comments yet. Start the discussion.
The Supreme Court of Canada began a two-day hearing Monday on challenges to the federal government's 2020 ban on about 1,500 firearm models and variants.
The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with border wall construction in Texas' Big Bend region, lifting a lower court's injunction while litigation continues.
