In the final weeks of a Congress still held by Republicans, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a lawmaker leaving office after losing his primary, stood on the House floor to press a fresh challenge against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The charge runs through a long tradition of checks on executive power: that a war against Iran was begun without the consent of Congress, that the laws meant to spare civilians were set aside, and that the powers of office were bent to ends the Constitution does not grant. Whether that accusation becomes a formal judgment now rests on a narrow arithmetic of part
Massie Introduces Eight Articles of Impeachment Against Defense Secretary Hegseth, Forcing House Vote
Massie alleges Hegseth ignored laws minimizing civilian casualties, citing a strike on an Iranian school earlier this year, along with Caribbean boat strikes.
"The answer is yes, eight times."
Mark
Why does this vote happen at all if leadership doesn't want it?
Mimi
Because of how Massie filed it. Introducing the articles on the floor starts a two-legislative-day clock, so leaders can't simply let it sit. They tried delaying in September by recessing early.
Mark
Is the Iran war the whole case?
Mimi
It's the core, three of the eight articles. But he also cites the Iranian school strike, the Caribbean boat strikes, the Maduro capture, and the scrutiny of Sen. Mark Kelly over the video about refusing illegal orders.
Luke
Careful with the school strike and the others. Those are Massie's allegations in a resolution, not findings. The reporting doesn't establish them independently.
Mimi
Fair. They're charges, and Hegseth calls the effort a sham.
Mark
Does it have the votes?
Luke
Nobody knows. Democrats are expected to support it, Jeffries says he's a hard yes, but Republicans are needed. Comer is critical of Iran strategy, yet no Republican has been reported committing to vote yes.
Mimi
Hill and Bacon are both undecided, and both separate poor performance from impeachable offense.
Mark
And the Senate?
Luke
Conviction isn't in view. Massie's argument is that the articles survive into the next Congress with a Democratic Senate. That's his projection, not a scheduled outcome.
Der Puls
- Massie reopened a two-day clock on the House floor, forcing leadership to bring impeachment articles to a vote quickly.
- A 34-page, eight-article resolution charges Hegseth with an unauthorized Iran war, a strike on an Iranian school, and Caribbean boat strikes.
- Speaker Johnson calls the move a terrible look while Hegseth dismisses it as a sham from a defeated congressman.
- Democrats are poised to support impeachment, but a razor-thin GOP majority means Republican votes will decide whether it moves.
- If the House acts, the case carries into a new Congress where Democrats could control the Senate trials.
In the final weeks of a Congress still held by Republicans, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a lawmaker leaving office after losing his primary, stood on the House floor to press a fresh challenge against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The charge runs through a long tradition of checks on executive power: that a war against Iran was begun without the consent of Congress, that the laws meant to spare civilians were set aside, and that the powers of office were bent to ends the Constitution does not grant. Whether that accusation becomes a formal judgment now rests on a narrow arithmetic of party loyalty and conscience, and possibly on a Senate that has not yet changed hands.
On Monday, as the House returned for the last weeks of a Republican-controlled Congress, Rep. Thomas Massie rose to introduce articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The core accusation is that Hegseth waged war on Iran without congressional authorization and used his office to do it. Because the articles were introduced on the floor, a two-day clock began, and leaders must bring the matter to a vote quickly. This is a second attempt; Massie first filed in September, and leaders delayed the vote until November.
The new resolution runs 34 pages across eight articles. Massie alleges that Hegseth ignored laws designed to limit civilian harm, pointing to a strike on an Iranian school this year, and he cites Caribbean boat strikes and the capture of Venezuela's president. One article concerns the Pentagon's scrutiny of Sen. Mark Kelly after he urged service members to refuse illegal orders. Massie says Hegseth remains a threat to the Constitution and asks for trial, removal, and a bar from future federal office.
Hegseth has brushed the effort aside, calling it a sham and saying he is not worried. The votes are the open question. Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, are expected to back it, but Republican support is needed, and some GOP lawmakers are wavering after midterm losses that highlighted concern over the war. Speaker Johnson warns that impeachment amid hostilities would be a terrible look, while others want to weigh the charges carefully. If the House acts, the case would carry into the next Congress, where Democrats could hold Senate trials.
On Monday, as the House reconvened for the last weeks of a Republican-controlled Congress, Rep. Thomas Massie stood on the floor and introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The charge at the center: that Hegseth waged war against Iran without authorization from Congress, and abused the powers of his office in doing so.
The move carries procedural weight. By introducing updated articles on the floor, Massie restarted a two-day clock, which means GOP leaders must bring the resolution up for a vote within two legislative days. This is the second time around. Massie, a Kentucky Republican who has broken with the administration on a number of fronts over the past year, first introduced impeachment articles in September. House GOP leaders then recessed the chamber early, pushing a vote off until November.
The new resolution runs 34 pages and contains eight articles, alleging high crimes and misdemeanors. Three accuse Hegseth of abusing the Defense Department's powers by waging the Iran war without congressional approval. Massie also alleges that Hegseth ignored laws meant to minimize civilian casualties, pointing to the strike on an Iranian school earlier this year. Other articles cite the Pentagon's boat strikes in the Caribbean and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Another concerns free speech, focusing on the Pentagon's scrutiny of Sen. Mark Kelly after he joined a group of lawmakers in releasing a video urging service members to "refuse illegal orders."
Massie wrote that Hegseth would remain a threat to the Constitution if left in office and had acted in a manner grossly incompatible with his duties and the rule of law. He asked for trial, removal, and disqualification from future federal office. He also urged the Republican-led Senate to act if the House passes the resolution, noting that the articles carry into the next Congress, when Democrats will hold the Senate. At a Monday afternoon news conference he said that if the current Senate does not deal with it, it goes to a Democratic Senate that can hold the trials. He called his own approach "polite," predicting Democrats would be far more vicious, with more than eight articles and hearings featuring people who served under Hegseth, given protection.
Hegseth has dismissed the effort. In a video posted on X last week, he called the articles "sham" impeachment from a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" and his Democratic allies, comparing it to the two impeachments of President Trump. Massie is leaving Congress after losing his primary earlier this year. Asked Monday, Hegseth said "we're not worried about that," and that he would hold a news conference Tuesday morning.
The arithmetic is the open question. Democrats are widely expected to back impeachment; Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on ABC's "This Week" he is a "hard yes." But with a narrow GOP majority, Republican votes will be needed. Some appear more open after the party's brutal midterm losses, which highlighted voter concern over the Iran war and the cost of living. Rep. James Comer, the Kentucky Republican who chairs House Oversight, said on News Nation that there are "a lot of questions about Hegseth," that nobody knows the strategy in Iran, and that Republican voters may be more upset about it than Democratic ones.
Others are undecided. Rep. French Hill of Arkansas wants to hear the debate to judge whether impeachment is warranted versus other discipline, noting that doing a poor job is not per se an impeachable offense. Retiring Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said he is "wrestling" with it: he doesn't think Hegseth has been a good secretary, but impeachment requires a high crime or misdemeanor. Speaker Mike Johnson said impeaching Hegseth amid hostilities abroad would be "a terrible, terrible look."
Massie says the debate should not turn on effectiveness or support for the war. "The question is whether he committed impeachable acts," he said. "And the answer is yes, eight times."
If impeached, Hegseth would be only the third Cabinet secretary in history, after War Secretary William Belknap in 1876, who was acquitted by the Senate, and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024, whose charges were dismissed. The vote must come within two legislative days.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
The question is whether he committed impeachable acts, and the answer is yes, eight times.— Rep. Thomas Massie
Impeaching Hegseth amid hostilities abroad would be a terrible, terrible look.— House Speaker Mike Johnson
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