House Vote Looms: Massie Reintroduces Impeachment of Hegseth

Eight distinct charges formed the basis of the new articles of impeachment filed by Representative Thomas Massie against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday. The Kentucky Republican’s move forces the House of Representatives to schedule a vote on the resolution within the next two days.

The resolution formally accuses Hegseth of committing high crimes and misdemeanors. Massie’s document outlines three separate charges for illegally waging war against Iran in violation of the War Powers Resolution. A fourth charge targets the administration’s handling of civilian casualty laws. The fifth charge alleges that Hegseth oversaw extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean via strikes on suspected drug boats.

Three additional charges round out the list. One addresses the suppression of free speech, specifically linking the effort to punish Senator Mark Kelly for a video encouraging service members to refuse illegal orders. Another charge cites the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without congressional authorization. The final charge accuses Hegseth of illegally waging war against Yemen, also in breach of the War Powers Resolution.

Hegseth responded to the filings with a video released the previous Thursday. In the clip, the Defense Secretary dismissed the legislative action as a sham. "Didn't work against President Trump and it won't work with me," Hegseth stated in the recording.

The political tension between the two men runs deep. During the recent Republican primary, Hegseth campaigned for Ed Gallrein, who ultimately defeated Massie in the race. When asked about Hegseth’s characterization of him as a disgruntled defeated congressman, Massie conceded the point partially. "Well, he's right about one thing. I'm a defeated congressman. I'm not disgruntled," Massie told reporters.

Massie framed the impeachment as a procedural check on executive power rather than a criminal prosecution. "What is an impeachment? An impeachment is just firing someone, really," he explained. "You don't go to prison, you don't go to jail, you don't pay a fine." He argued that the process is necessary to litigate whether Congress retains actual war powers, a authority he noted has been largely ignored by presidents from both parties.

The strategic timing of the reintroduction follows an earlier attempt before the midterm elections. Speaker Mike Johnson had called for an early recess to avoid a floor vote at that time, causing the initial resolution to expire. Massie reintroduced the text on Monday to restart the clock. The incoming House leadership under Hakeem Jeffries has already indicated support for an impeachment push against the Defense Secretary.

Republican opposition centers on precedent. Representative Warren Davidson noted that administrations stretching back to the Korean War have disregarded congressional war powers efforts. "I think trying to scapegoat Pete Hegseth is just the status quo politics in Washington," Davidson said. "I think it would be a mistake to impeach." He suggested that lawmakers focus on withholding funding instead.

The arithmetic for passage in the House appears favorable with the support of all Democrats, Massie, and a small bloc of Republicans. However, the Senate faces a higher hurdle. Convicting and removing Hegseth from office requires a two-thirds majority vote in that chamber, a threshold that remains difficult to reach in the current political climate.