House Republicans Must Vote on Hegseth Impeachment
Rep. Thomas Massie will reintroduce eight articles of impeachment against the Defense Secretary, forcing a floor vote before the end of the session.
By Kofi Costa ·
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie plans to force a House vote on the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as soon as this coming Monday. Massie intends to reintroduce a privileged resolution containing eight articles of impeachment. The move requires the House to take up the measure within two legislative days. This procedural rule forces the majority party to go on the record.
The eight articles of impeachment range from waging war without the consent of Congress to suppressing free speech. Massie did not amend the resolution from his previous attempt. In mid-September, Speaker Mike Johnson canceled the final scheduled day of legislative business before the midterm elections. That action prevented a vote from occurring at that time. Massie stated that the articles expire and he must refile them when members return to Washington.
Massie served seven terms in the House and lost a primary earlier this summer. President Donald Trump endorsed Massie's opponent in that race. The effort to remove Hegseth follows the Republican party's sweeping losses in the 2026 midterm elections. Several Republicans have attributed those losses to the administration's handling of the Iran war. Massie told ABC News he is confident enough Republicans will defect to pass the resolution.
The resolution needs a simple majority to pass in the House. Democrats are expected to vote for impeachment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called his vote a "hard yes" on ABC News' "This Week." Therefore, only three Republicans need to join the Democratic bloc to approve the measure. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer declined to back the effort. However, Massie noted that many questions remain about Hegseth's strategy in Iran.
Retiring Rep. Don Bacon said he will weigh the debate before making a decision. He told ABC News that Hegseth has made some bad mistakes. GOP leaders could offer a motion to table the resolution instead of voting on the underlying measure. That motion would also require a simple majority to pass. If the House approves the articles, the measure moves to the Senate.
The Senate is under Republican control. Approval there requires a two-thirds majority. That threshold is difficult to reach in the current configuration. President Trump has stated he has every intention to keep Hegseth in his role at the Pentagon. Hegseth responded to the news in a video posted Thursday. He said the effort is obsessed with him and compared it to the impeachment of President Trump.
Hegseth doubled down on his cultural agenda at the Pentagon. He also reaffirmed his strategy regarding the Iran war. The secretary will not back down, according to his statement. The procedural clock starts when Massie files the documents. The House must act quickly to avoid another session ending without a vote.
