Rep. Massie of Kentucky launches bid to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth
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- The impeachment resolution introduced by Thomas Massie largely focuses on the war in Iran but also includes references to Pete Hegseth’s role in carrying out military actions in Yemen and Venezuela.
- A vote in the House could come by mid-week, putting pressure on Republicans — many of whom blamed their election wipeout on the war — but next steps are highly uncertain.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) moved Monday to force a vote to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, setting the stage for a dramatic fight over whether to remove one of the Trump administration’s most prominent figures after sweeping election losses for Republicans.
The impeachment resolution was introduced by Massie as soon as the House opened for the first day of sessions after the midterms. It largely focuses on the war in Iran but also includes references to Hegseth’s role in carrying out military actions in Yemen and Venezuela.
Massie said that the secretary’s actions amount to “high crimes and misdemeanors” and that thus his leadership at the Pentagon “warrants impeachment.”
A vote in the House could come by midweek, putting pressure on Republicans — many of whom blamed their election wipeout on the Iran war — but next steps are highly uncertain.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had tried to prevent this outcome and warned lawmakers against impeaching the Defense secretary while the U.S. is engaged in military actions in the Middle East.
“Impeaching a Cabinet secretary right now, especially the Department of War in the middle of hostilities abroad would be a terrible, terrible look, a terrible thing for our allies and our enemies to see that,” Johnson said as he opened the chamber.
“We don’t impeach Cabinet secretaries for political gain or for cheap tricks, and I think that’s what this is and I think everybody knows it.”
Most House Democrats are expected to support impeaching Hegseth, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) saying over the weekend it’s time for the Defense secretary to go.
If the House votes to impeach Hegseth, the case would next go to the Senate for a potential trial. Republicans remain in the majority in both chambers until the new Congress convenes in January with Democrats in control.
Hegseth maintains he’s eager to litigate the military actions that he and President Trump have taken against Iran, Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and Venezuela’s previous leaders.
“If you want to take issue with what we did in Epic Fury or Rough Rider or nabbing Nicolás Maduro, you’re taking issue with the troops and what they accomplished, which is historic,” Hegseth told reporters Monday, using the military code names for the Iran war and the campaign of strikes to halt the Houthis’ attacks on shipping in the Middle East.
Hegseth also announced that he would hold a rare news conference Tuesday — his first in more than 180 days — on the impeachment threat. His last briefing was in May, and he has not held one on the Iran war, strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats or other U.S. military actions since then.
The Pentagon chief is bearing the brunt of anger and calls for his ouster after the Iran war and its economic impact contributed to severe Republican losses in the midterm elections that cost the party control of Congress.
Hegseth, after giving a speech at the Naval War College in Rhode Island, brushed aside the impeachment push.
“There’s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,” he told reporters. He added that “if we want to litigate” the military actions that the Trump administration has taken, “I’m happy to do it all day long.”
“My team, we’re not worried about the noise — it’s what I told the troops too — ‘Don’t worry about the noise,’” he said.
Hegseth argued that the war was necessary because “someone had to confront the Iranian regime’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon” and said “the choice was don’t act and wish it away or take a bold move.”
Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has 972 pounds of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Trump defended Hegseth to reporters Sunday night.
“He’s guilty of two things, basically winning two wars,” Trump said. “I believe we saved the Middle East and Israel combined. And it’s awfully hard to say let’s impeach somebody who did that.”
Toropin and Sloan write for Associated Press.
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