House Vote Ends Bid to Impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Republicans blocked a resolution citing eight articles of impeachment, with leaders arguing the moves did not meet the high bar for removal.
By Ricardo Alvarez ·
The House of Representatives voted 211 to 204 on Tuesday to reject a resolution seeking to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The narrow defeat ended the immediate effort to send Hegseth to a Senate trial over his conduct in military operations.
Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a Republican, introduced the resolution with eight specific articles of impeachment.
Massie argued that Hegseth had violated the laws of war and put American soldiers in danger.
The resolution cited Hegseth's role in the war against Iran, operations in Yemen, and strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific.
Supporters of the vote said the actions met the constitutional standard for 'high crimes and misdemeanors.' Critics countered that the threshold had not been met.
Hegseth held a press conference at the Pentagon earlier on Tuesday to defend his record.
He called the impeachment attempt a political spectacle and a farce.
Hegseth stated that all military operations were legal and that he had dismantled terrorist capabilities and captured a drug dictator.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social to back Hegseth, calling the secretary an 'A PLUS, PLUS, PLUS' for his performance.
Trump described Massie as a 'PERDEDOR TOTAL' and a disgruntled former congressman.
Massie lost his Republican primary earlier this year, a result that both he and Trump influenced, according to the source text. He filed the motion as privileged, forcing a vote within two legislative days. Only Massie voted in favor of advancing the impeachment among Republicans. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, said his party would remove Hegseth when they take control of Congress in January. Hegseth remains in his position for now. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, a departing Republican, said he disagreed with the method Massie used but noted he would view the resolution differently if it included provisions about the firing of 80 generals. Rep. Darrell Issa of California, also departing, said the measure would fail in the Senate because 67 senators would not vote to convict. The resolution accused Hegseth of waging war in Iran without legal authorization and ignoring the War Powers Resolution. It also cited extrajudicial executions of suspected drug traffickers and the illegal capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has been a polarizing figure since his confirmation in 2025.
