House postpones impeachment vote on Defense Secretary Hegseth until after midterms
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Republican leaders cancelled Thursday's House votes, sending members home before the November elections and delaying Rep. Thomas Massie's impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth until after Election Day.
House members will depart Washington on Wednesday night, the last trip before the November midterm elections, after GOP leaders cancelled scheduled votes for Thursday. The cancellation pushes the vote on Rep. Thomas Massie's resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to a date after the election, with the chamber not expected to reconvene until Nov. 9.
Speaker Mike Johnson called the impeachment effort a "publicity stunt" and said it would be tabled, adding that Hegseth had performed well amid ongoing international conflicts. Johnson emphasized the need for Republican members to return to their districts to campaign and highlight recent legislative achievements.
Massie's resolution, filed as a privileged measure on Tuesday, required House action within two legislative days, which would have set a vote for Thursday. The GOP leadership’s decision to scrap Thursday’s agenda effectively delayed the impeachment process.
The Senate will continue its session for the next three weeks while the House prepares for the election campaign season.