Some House Democrats say they may pursue further impeachment articles against War Secretary Pete Hegseth over his handling of military assistance to Ukraine. Their comments follow the House’s rejection of an impeachment resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie.
Massie said he could not verify claims that Hegseth improperly withheld aid. Still, he expects Democrats to investigate the issue and potentially revisit it when they take control of Congress in January. He also said new hearings could lead to additional impeachment charges.
Massie acknowledged that impeachment could be largely symbolic if the Senate does not convict Hegseth, but argued that the process might still put pressure on him to resign. Impeachment requires a simple majority in the House; conviction and removal require a two-thirds Senate vote. Massie said he hopes a Democratic-led Senate would hold a trial if the House impeaches Hegseth.
The House voted down Massie’s resolution Tuesday. It accused Hegseth of directing military operations against Iran and suspected drug smugglers in the Atlantic and Pacific without congressional authorization.
The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, while the president, as commander in chief, directs military operations. The legal limits on a president’s ability to begin hostilities without congressional approval remain disputed.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also called for Hegseth’s impeachment and urged the Senate to hold a trial aimed at removing him.
Zach Smith, a legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, criticized Democrats’ plans to pursue impeachment and possible prosecutions of Trump administration officials. He called the effort a waste of time, pointing to the two-thirds Senate vote needed to convict and remove an official.
Smith argued that the push may be intended less to remove Hegseth than to discourage conservatives from joining future Republican administrations. He said investigations could also take time away from congressional work and make it harder for administration officials to carry out their duties. Among the issues he said lawmakers should focus on are the cost of living and other concerns raised during the midterm campaign.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., said she expects oversight committees to examine Hegseth’s handling of Ukraine aid, including through hearings. She said further information about the matter could bring renewed attention and possibly more impeachment articles.
Grijalva described herself as committed to process and establishing the facts. She also said the 2026 midterm results showed voters wanted an end to corruption.
The allegations that Hegseth improperly withheld Ukraine funding, or otherwise acted improperly in the matter, have not been independently verified. Hegseth has not commented publicly on the claims.
Rep.-elect Scott Wiener, D-Calif., said he did not know whether additional impeachment articles would be introduced and was unaware of evidence backing the allegations. He nevertheless said he would support impeaching Hegseth, whom he criticized as harmful to the military and the country.
Republicans accused Democrats of pursuing politically motivated impeachment efforts against Trump administration officials. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., said he was not surprised by Democrats’ interest in impeaching Hegseth and argued they were targeting presidential appointees regardless of the evidence.
The debate comes as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress in January, giving them more authority to launch investigations, hold hearings and pursue impeachment proceedings.
