Hegseth impeachment vote looms in the House
Pete Hegseth, US secretary of defense, during a meeting with Stephen Hubbard, an American teacher released from Russia, not pictured, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. Russia last week freed Americ
The push to oust Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reached the House floor Monday when Rep. Thomas Massie introduced articles of impeachment against the controversial member of the Trump administration.
Big picture view:
The Kentucky Republican’s resolution includes eight allegations spanning the way that Hegseth has managed the Iran war, the kidnapping of Venezuela’s then-President Nicolas Maduro, the launch of attacks in Yemen, and the alleged suppression of free speech. Massie alleges that Hegseth’s actions meet the bar of "high crimes and misdemeanors."
The other side:
Prior to Massie’s speech, Hegseth described the impeachment effort as "noise" and he plans to hold a news conference Tuesday during which he is expected to address the allegations. After the speech, Hegseth told reporters that he would welcome the chance "to litigate" the Trump administration’s military actions.
What they're saying:
"There’s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success," he told reporters. "My team, we’re not worried about the noise — it’s what I told the troops, too — don’t worry about the noise,"
The allegations against Hegseth
In the first of the eight articles, Hegseth is accused of violating the 1973 War Powers Resolution by beginning hostilities without a declaration of war, statutory authorization, or the declaration of a national emergency. Also related to the Iran war, Hegseth is accused of continuing the fighting after Congress had directed that U.S. forces be removed and allowing the hostilities to continue past the 60-day window as well as the potential 30-day extension.
Hegseth also allegedly ignored U.S. law to minimize civilian casualties, citing specifically an attack on an elementary school that killed more than 200 civilians, many of whom were children. The articles noted, though, that the failures that led to the strike were not isolated.
U.S. attacks on boats that were allegedly smuggling narcotics in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean and killed 243 people were described as extrajudicial, violating the law.
The articles accused Hegseth of suppressing free speech by allegedly retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly after he participated in a video directed at U.S. service members in which he said, "Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders." Following the statement, Hegseth posted that Kelly could be recalled to active duty, directed the Secretary of the Navy to investigate the Senator, and censured him.
The impeachment article described the assault that resulted in the arrest of Maduro as a kidnapping and stated Hegseth "executed unlawful orders." Finally, the eighth article says the U.S. attack in Yemen dubbed Operation Rough Rider violated the War Powers Resolution.
Dig deeper:
The effort to remove Hegseth returned to the forefront following last Tuesday’s election, which swept the Democratic Party back into power. Massie’s resolution, however, would be considered by the current Republican-controlled House. On the day after the election, President Donald Trump backed his defense secretary, saying that he believed Hegseth is "doing a good job."
While rumors swirled linking Hegseth to the soon to be open Tennessee Senate seat, he has indicated that he plans to head the Department of Defense until the end of Trump’s presidency in 2029, Reuters reported.
Other investigations
Following their Election Day sweep, Democrats have pledged their own investigations into Hegseth’s term leading the Pentagon. Beyond the issues identified in Massie’s resolution, they have identified the discarding of top military officials and his Ukraine policy as potential targets of inquiries.
What's next:
As a privileged resolution, a vote on the articles of impeachment in the House could come by mid-week. Most Democrats have come out in support of impeachment. House Speaker Mike Johnson has tried to prevent an impeachment vote and cautioned fellow congressmembers against trying to remove Hegseth while the U.S. is engaged in military activities.
"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," the Louisiana Republican said.
If Hegseth were impeached, his case would go to the Senate, which is also controlled by the GOP until the current term ends in January, for a potential trial.