Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of waging war against Iran without approval from Congress and abusing the powers of his office.
Massie filed the 34-page resolution on Monday, Nov. 9, the first day the House returned after the midterm elections.
The story in 7 points
- Massie introduced a 34-page resolution with eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth.
- Three articles say Hegseth waged war against Iran without a declaration of war or congressional authorization.
- Other articles cite civilian-casualty laws, strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, and military action in Yemen.
- The resolution also raises free-speech concerns and the operation that captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.
- Because it is a privileged resolution, House leaders must act on it within two legislative days.
- Massie first filed the articles in September, but they expired when the House left early for recess.
- Hegseth has called the effort “sham articles of impeachment,” and President Trump has said he intends to keep him.
Massie, a longtime critic of the Trump administration, lost his own Republican primary earlier this year to Ed Gallrein, a challenger Hegseth campaigned for. The Kentucky lawmaker says the case against Hegseth is about whether he broke the law, not about how well he did his job.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has signaled support for the impeachment push. Republican leaders could still vote to table the measure instead of allowing a direct vote on the articles.
Why it matters
If the House approved the articles, Hegseth would become only the third Cabinet secretary in US history to be impeached. Removing him from office, however, would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate, which is considered very unlikely.
The vote is also an early test of how many Republicans are willing to break with the administration over the Iran war in the final weeks of the current Congress.
Sources: NPR, CBS News, Stars and Stripes