Massie Forces Hegseth Impeachment Vote in House

Congress returned from midterm recess on Monday to face immediate procedural pressure regarding the Department of War. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced a privileged resolution on the House floor that forces the chamber to consider impeaching Secretary of War Pete Hegseth within two legislative days. This action guarantees a floor vote no later than Wednesday.

Massie read the resolution aloud on Monday afternoon, a mandatory step before the House accepts it as a privileged motion. The resolution outlines eight articles of impeachment. These articles cover the war in Iran, strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean, U.S. strikes against Yemen, and the extradition of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. One article specifically accuses Hegseth of retaliating against Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona for a video urging troops to resist unlawful orders.

The timing follows significant Republican losses in Tuesday's midterm elections. Lawmakers blamed high gas prices and the fallout from the Iran conflict for the defeats. Massie told Fox News Digital last week he would trigger the vote if Hegseth did not resign after Congress returned. Several House Republicans now believe the effort has a genuine chance of succeeding. They cited the absence of elected members who lost their races and negative sentiment toward Hegseth's conduct as factors that could tip the vote.

Hegseth reacted to the move in a video posted to X on Friday. He called the impeachment push a "shame" that "won't work." Despite his dismissal, the procedural rules of a privileged resolution limit the options for House leadership. Leaders can first call for a vote to table the measure or refer it to a committee. Either move would effectively kill the bill. How House Republican leaders plan to handle the resolution was not immediately clear as of Monday.

The procedural path for a privileged resolution carries two steps before a final vote on impeachment. If the measure survives the initial tabling or referral vote, it proceeds to a floor vote. The last Cabinet secretary to face impeachment was Alejandro Mayorkas, the Biden administration's Homeland Security secretary. Republicans accused him of dereliction of duty at the U.S. Mexico border. That case was scuttled without a trial in the then Democrat-controlled Senate.