Republican Rep. Thomas Massie is moving to force a House vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing one of President Donald Trump’s most prominent Cabinet officials of eight impeachable offenses involving military operations, constitutional war powers and alleged abuses of authority.
The Kentucky congressman renewed his impeachment effort Monday, November 9, as lawmakers returned to Washington following the midterm elections.
Massie’s resolution, which includes eight articles of impeachment, targets Hegseth’s conduct during the war with Iran and other U.S. military operations.
The Republican lawmaker made clear that he considers the accusations more important than whether his colleagues approve of the administration’s military policies.
“I’ve seen some of my colleagues say [Secretary of War Pete] Hegseth has been effective and they agree with the war, so they’ll vote not to impeach,” Massie wrote on X.
“That’s not the question though. The question is whether he committed impeachable acts, and the answer is yes, eight times.”
The renewed push comes at a politically sensitive moment for the Trump administration.
Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the November midterm elections, while the Iran war and its economic consequences have become major subjects of criticism.
Massie, a Republican who has frequently challenged Trump’s foreign policy, argues that Hegseth has repeatedly exceeded constitutional and statutory limits on the use of military force.
Three of the eight impeachment articles concern the Iran war.
Massie alleges that Hegseth participated in military hostilities without the congressional authorization required under the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
He also accuses the defense secretary of continuing operations after Congress directed the withdrawal of American forces and after statutory deadlines for unauthorized hostilities had expired.
Other articles address allegations that Hegseth disregarded laws intended to protect civilians during armed conflict.
Massie also challenges the Pentagon’s deadly maritime strikes against suspected drug traffickers, accusing the department of substituting military force for lawful enforcement procedures.
Another article concerns Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, whom Massie says was subjected to retaliation and intimidation for exercising his right to speak about unlawful military orders.
The resolution further accuses Hegseth of acting without proper legal authority during the American operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The final article concerns U.S. military operations against the Houthis in Yemen, which Massie argues were conducted without the necessary congressional authorization.
These are allegations contained in an impeachment resolution, not findings by a court or a completed congressional impeachment proceeding.
In his official announcement, Massie argued that Hegseth’s conduct requires action by the House.
“By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable,” Massie said.
He also accused Hegseth of ignoring congressional war-powers limits and using his authority against critics of the administration.
But Massie did not stop at demanding accountability for past conduct.
He warned that the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress could pursue a more extensive investigation of Hegseth’s actions.
“My effort to impeach Secretary Hegseth is a much gentler version of what’s coming when the Democrats assume control of the House and Senate next year,” Massie said.
“They will hold hearings and trials. President Trump should replace Secretary Hegseth now while he can still get a replacement confirmed in the Senate.”
The impeachment effort has already drawn support from prominent Democrats.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday that he was a “hard yes” on impeaching Hegseth.
But Hegseth has rejected Massie’s accusations and expressed confidence that Republican lawmakers will block the effort.
“We’re not worried about that,” Hegseth told reporters Monday when asked about the prospect of enough Republicans supporting impeachment.
He has also characterized the allegations as politically motivated, while Trump has continued to defend his defense secretary and the administration’s military operations.
Massie’s attempt to force a vote follows an earlier effort in September, when he introduced the eight articles before the House recessed ahead of the elections.
The resolution did not receive a vote before lawmakers left Washington.
Now, by renewing the measure under House procedures, Massie is seeking to compel the chamber to address it within days.
The House could vote directly on the impeachment articles or consider a procedural motion to set the resolution aside.
Even if the House approved impeachment, removing Hegseth from office would require a separate Senate trial and a two-thirds vote to convict.
For now, the defense secretary remains in office and the allegations remain contested.
But Massie’s latest move ensures that the dispute over Hegseth’s conduct — and Congress’s authority over American military operations — is returning to the center of the political debate as lawmakers begin their final weeks before the new Congress takes office.
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