Eight Articles: Massie Moves to Impeach Hegseth
The Kentucky Republican cites Iran and Yemen operations, while Speaker Mike Johnson considers adjourning the House early again.
By Chioma Brooks ·
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) filed eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday. This move marks the first legislative action of the U.S. House session following the recent midterm elections. The resolution targets Hegseth’s conduct during military engagements in Iran and Yemen.
Massie emphasized that the articles do not claim Hegseth is incompetent. Instead, they assert that the Secretary has broken laws and violated the Constitution. Speaking outside the Capitol, Massie stated that Hegseth was effective at killing school children in Iran and conducting extrajudicial killings. The Kentucky Republican argued that effectiveness in war does not negate constitutional violations.
This is not Massie’s first attempt to remove Hegseth from office. In September, he introduced similar articles, but House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home early to avoid a floor vote. Massie is now pressing Johnson to bring the resolution to the floor this week. Massie noted that Republicans still hold the majority and can act on the measure.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled strong Democratic support for the impeachment. Jeffries described himself as a hard yes on the resolution. He accused Hegseth of abusing power and undermining national security. Jeffries labeled the Secretary the architect of a reckless and costly war of choice in Iran.
Massie, who lost his seat in May to Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein, has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. The President responded to the impeachment effort during a White House briefing on Monday. Trump said he would stand by Hegseth and called on Congress to do the same. He dismissed Massie as a stone-cold loser who is wasting congressional time.
Hegseth is scheduled to hold a press briefing at the Pentagon on Tuesday morning. This will be his first public briefing in more than 180 days. The event will likely address the impeachment articles directly.
The House has not yet set a date for a vote on the resolution. Johnson retains the power to manage the schedule and adjourn the chamber before a vote is taken. Massie’s team is currently meeting with leadership to negotiate the timing of the floor debate.
