House Republicans to Vote on Impeachment of Defense Secretary Hegseth

Impeachment Vote Set

House Republicans face a privileged resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, setting up a vote by Wednesday.

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced eight articles of impeachment on the House floor. Massie used a special procedure requiring the chamber to consider his resolution within two legislative days, as noted by The Guardian.

Hegseth faces accusations of unlawful war and suppression

Massie argued that Hegseth knowingly executed unlawful orders by waging war without congressional approval. The resolution cites violations of the 1973 War Powers Resolution, operations in Yemen and Venezuela, and civilian casualties including a school strike in Iran, according to The Guardian.

Fox News reported that the articles also accuse Hegseth of suppressing free speech by retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly for urging troops to resist unlawful orders. The Pentagon has rejected all allegations.

There is one contingency in which I won’t reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns. https://t.co/fRSAIizUH8

— Post by @RepThomasMassie on X

Political Lines Drawn

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declared himself a hard yes on the measure.

“The so-called secretary of defence has abused his power, undermined our national security and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told ABC News.

The House of Representatives is barreling toward a vote on whether to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has vowed to address the effort during a rare press conference on Tuesday morning. W @Kubota_Yoko https://t.co/3WwSBPeZs0

— Post by @laraseligman on X

President Donald Trump dismissed Massie as a stone-cold loser on Tuesday. Hegseth called the impeachment effort a sham in a video posted to X, though watchdog groups argued the video violated the Hatch Act by using government funds for partisan purposes, according to The Guardian.

Senate Trial Hurdles

While the House can pass impeachment charges by a simple majority, removal requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate. NZ Herald reported that conviction remains a steep hurdle even after Democrats take control of Congress in January.

Only two Cabinet secretaries have been impeached in United States history, and neither was removed by the Senate. Defeated Republicans skipping votes could make passing the articles in the House easier before the new term begins.

Questions about the Hegseth impeachment vote and articles

When must the House vote on the Hegseth impeachment resolution?

Under the privileged resolution procedure used by Rep. Thomas Massie, the House must consider and vote on the measure within two legislative days, putting the vote on Wednesday at the latest, according to Fox News.

If Trump’s going to replace appointees like Hegseth, he should do it while he can still get the replacements confirmed in the Senate. Also, my Hegseth impeachment resolution is a much gentler version of what’s coming when Dem’s control Congress. They’ll have hearings & trials. https://t.co/7p3qlqCugw

— Post by @RepThomasMassie on X

What specific military actions are cited in the articles of impeachment?

The Guardian reported that the eight articles cite unauthorized attacks on Iran and Yemen, civilian casualties from a school strike in Iran, sunk drug boats in the Caribbean, and the operation involving former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

What are the voting requirements to remove a defense secretary through impeachment?

NZ Herald noted that while the House requires only a simple majority to impeach, a Senate trial requires a two-thirds majority of senators present to convict and remove the official from office.

More on this story: Hakeem Jeffries Backs Impeachment of War Secretary Pete Hegseth · Trump rejects exit plans for defense secretary Hegseth after election losses

GOP Rep. Thomas Massie: "I think there's two categories of Republicans after Nov. 3rd who are more likely to vote to impeach Pete Hegseth. One, I call it the retirement caucus. These aren't people who joined voluntarily. And the ranks of this caucus swelled for Republicans on… pic.twitter.com/sFrlyIUdoX”

— Post by @kaitlancollins on X