WASHINGTON — Outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed articles of impeachment on Monday against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing the Pentagon chief of high crimes, misdemeanors and constitutional violations tied to military operations in the Middle East and Latin America.
Massie presented the eight-article resolution on the House floor as lawmakers returned for their first session following the midterm elections, Al Jazeera reported. The filing sets up a potential floor vote within two days, according to NPR.
Broad Allegations of War Powers Violations
The resolution accuses Hegseth of pursuing military action in Iran without congressional approval in defiance of the War Powers Resolution, Al Jazeera reported. Massie also cited strikes against suspected narcotics vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean as unauthorized extrajudicial killings, alongside the abduction of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and military actions against Houthi forces in Yemen.
Massie further alleged that Hegseth fostered a military environment that disregarded rules of engagement, pointing to a February strike on a school in Minab, Iran, that killed over 150 people, including roughly 120 children, during the opening stage of the conflict, according to Al Jazeera. In addition, the resolution claims Hegseth restricted journalistic access at the Pentagon in violation of free speech protections.
Massie had initially raised the eight articles in September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned lawmakers early to prevent a floor vote, which caused the measure to expire, NPR reported. Because Democrats won control of both chambers in last week’s midterm elections, Massie urged Hegseth to step down before the new Congress convenes in January.
“I understand that some of them just want to vote for this because they just want to see Hegseth gone,” Massie said at a news conference on Monday, Al Jazeera reported. “I welcome their vote.”
Hegseth and Administration Push Back
Hegseth rejected the push, previously calling the effort “sham articles of impeachment” and telling reporters Monday that he is prepared to defend the administration’s actions before lawmakers, according to reports from NPR and Al Jazeera.
“There’s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,” Hegseth said, as reported by Al Jazeera, adding that he would be “happy to do it all day long.”
President Donald Trump defended his Pentagon leader during an impromptu news conference on Monday. Trump asserted that Hegseth “won two wars” and argued that U.S. forces had “saved the Middle East and Israel combined,” Al Jazeera and NPR reported. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also described Hegseth’s performance as effective and termed the Iran war necessary, even while acknowledging it was controversial, according to Al Jazeera.
Steep Legislative Obstacles Ahead
Republican leaders in the House firmly dismissed Massie’s push. Johnson told reporters that lawmakers should not pursue impeachment “for political gain or for cheap tricks,” Al Jazeera reported. Representative Warren Davidson, an Ohio Republican, told NPR that impeaching Hegseth would be a mistake and argued that lawmakers concerned about military operations should instead use their authority over spending.
The measure arrives after a bitter personal feud within the party. Massie lost his primary election earlier this year to Ed Gallrein, a challenger endorsed by Trump and supported on the campaign trail by Hegseth, NPR reported. Massie told reporters that while he was defeated, he was not acting out of personal bitterness, saying the core issue remains “the balance of power between the executive branch and Congress.”
While incoming House Democratic leaders have signaled support — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labeled Hegseth’s leadership abusive and reckless over the weekend — the measure faces steep mathematical hurdles. A simple majority can approve impeachment in the 435-seat House, but convicting and removing a Cabinet official requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, or 67 votes. Even with projected Democratic gains of about 54 Senate seats in January, supporters remain far short of that threshold, according to Al Jazeera.
