Overview
- Republican-led House voted 211–204 to send Rep. Thomas Massie’s eight articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee, effectively halting an immediate floor vote.
- Massie filed the charges as a privileged motion that forced a quick response from leadership, and he was the only Republican to join Democrats in opposing referral.
- The articles accuse Hegseth of unlawful military actions that cite the War Powers Resolution, including operations in Iran, strikes tied to civilian deaths, alleged extrajudicial killings in counternarcotics missions, and the seizure of Venezuela’s leader.
- Hegseth held a Pentagon news conference to reject the claims as politically motivated, and President Trump and most House Republicans publicly defended him against the allegations.
- With Democrats slated to control Congress in January, they could reintroduce impeachment or launch major oversight, but removal would still require a two thirds Senate conviction which remains unlikely.