House Sends Hegseth Impeachment Articles to Committee, Stalling Effort
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth avoided an immediate impeachment battle Tuesday, but the effort to remove him may not be over.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, introduced eight articles of impeachment on Monday. They accuse Hegseth of serious misconduct, including waging war in violation of the 1973 War Powers Resolution, ordering extrajudicial killings, restricting free speech, disregarding laws meant to limit civilian casualties, kidnapping former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and conducting an unlawful war in Yemen.
Democratic leaders backed the effort. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he supported the resolution, accusing Hegseth of abusing his power and weakening national security. Jeffries also blamed him for a costly war with Iran that he said had driven up prices and made the country less safe. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likewise called for Hegseth’s removal and welcomed Massie’s resolution.
At a press conference Tuesday morning, Hegseth called the impeachment effort a “farce” and a political spectacle driven by Massie’s resentment. He argued that the accusations amounted to policy disagreements, not impeachable offenses.
Later that day, the House voted 211-204 to send the articles to the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee. The move effectively ended the effort for the rest of the current Congress.
Massie, who is leaving Congress in January, was the only Republican to join Democrats in advancing the articles toward a floor vote. Seven Republicans did not vote. Eleven Democrats were also absent, and their votes could have changed the result.
Several Democrats offered explanations for missing the vote. A spokesperson for Rep. Melanie Stansbury said she was reportedly prevented from reaching the Capitol because of a traffic incident. Reps. Jonathan Jackson, Marilyn Strickland and Laura Gillen also cited traffic. Rep. Eugene Vindman said he was attending an event, Rep. Steven Horsford cited a personal emergency, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi was at a Veterans Day celebration.
Some Democrats criticized their absent colleagues. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said members had a responsibility to show up and do their jobs. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove was more pointed, saying lawmakers knew the vote was coming and should have made it to the Capitol.
The Pentagon’s rapid response account posted an AI-generated image of Massie crying, along with a message declaring that his attempt to impeach Hegseth had failed.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth would not be deterred by politicians seeking partisan advantage or pursuing what he called baseless investigations. He added that the department had followed the law and that Hegseth would continue to defend the Constitution, lead troops and protect the country.
President Donald Trump mocked Massie and Democrats after the vote, saying the impeachment effort had failed and that every Republican except Massie had supported Hegseth. Trump described the result as an exoneration and said efforts to weaponize the government should be stopped.
Hegseth’s position appears secure for now, but Democrats have signaled they could try again when they hold majorities in both chambers next year. After the vote, Jeffries said the effort was “not the end” but “just the beginning.” He is reportedly considering another impeachment push in the next Congress.
Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat who missed Tuesday’s vote, wrote that House Democrats would impeach Hegseth next year and that neither House Speaker Mike Johnson nor Trump would be able to stop them.
