Rep. Thomas Massie pushes House vote to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
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Republican Representative Thomas Massie has filed articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of illegal military action in Iran and urging President Donald Trump to remove him before Congress is forced to act.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie announced plans to force a resolution through the House of Representatives this week that would impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Massie says Hegseth’s role in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization is a blatant violation of the Constitution and must be confronted.
"By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable," Massie said.
Massie, a former Kentucky congressman who lost his seat earlier this year, said the move is designed to pressure President Donald Trump into removing Hegseth before Democrats could launch their own impeachment effort after the upcoming elections. He called his proposal a "much gentler version" of what he expects Democrats to pursue if they win control of both chambers.
"President Trump should replace Secretary Hegseth now while he can still get a replacement confirmed in the Senate," Massie added.
Hegseth brushed off the resolution and scheduled a news conference to address the controversy.
"We're not worried about that," Hegseth told reporters, adding that he would hold a news conference on the topic.
Impeaching a cabinet secretary is rare; only two cabinet members have ever been impeached by the House in U.S. history, and neither was removed by the Senate. Under the rules, the resolution now requires Speaker Mike Johnson to schedule consideration within two days, after which the House could vote on the articles, send them to committee, or shelve the matter. Democrats have signaled support for impeachment, but Massie would still need Republican backing for the measure to move forward.