Republican Thomas Massie filed a resolution in the House of Representatives to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The document contains eight articles of impeachment, most of them related to waging the war against Iran without authorization from Congress.
According to ABC News, Massie accuses Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution of 1973 and continuing military operations despite congressional decisions. The resolution also includes allegations of illegal operations in Venezuela, Yemen, the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, as well as claims that protections for civilians in military operations were disregarded.
Massie further claims that the secretary suppressed the freedom of speech of a U.S. senator. The allegations are political claims that Congress has yet to examine, rather than facts established by a court.
Vote could take place within two legislative days
The resolution was introduced as a question of privilege in the House. This means that Speaker Mike Johnson must rule on the procedure and, if he recognizes it as proper, schedule a vote within two legislative days. According to Roll Call, the vote could take place as early as Wednesday.
Massie took the same step in September, but the vote did not take place then. Johnson ended the legislative session early ahead of the midterm elections, thereby postponing consideration of the resolution.
The initiative is now receiving support from Democrats. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on ABC that he would vote for impeachment. According to CBS News, some Republicans are also considering supporting it, but the final position of a sufficient number of members of the party remains unclear.
A simple majority is required for the resolution to pass. If the House votes to impeach, the process will continue in the Senate, where two-thirds of the votes will be needed to remove Hegseth from office.
Massie will no longer be a congressman
The initiative comes after the Republican Party’s heavy losses in the midterm elections, which some Republicans say were influenced by the unpopularity of the war with Iran. Massie, however, did not lose his seat in the November 3 election itself. He lost the Republican primary in Kentucky in May and will not serve in the next Congress.
This circumstance may make his position easier, as he will not have to face voters again. In an interview cited by Roll Call, Massie said that some Republicans who are also leaving Congress may feel freer to support the resolution.
Hegseth: “We are not concerned about it”
Hegseth dismissed the threat posed by the proceedings. “We are not concerned about it,” he told reporters when asked about the impeachment effort. The secretary defended the administration’s actions in Iran and said he was prepared to discuss the decisions made together with President Donald Trump.
Hegseth is planning a press conference on Tuesday, which according to the Associated Press will be his first public press conference in more than 180 days. Trump also stood behind the secretary and said he would support him even if the House of Representatives impeached him.
Sources: abcnews.com, apnews.com, rollcall.com