Rep. Massie Files Impeachment Articles Against Defense Secretary Hegseth

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday. This action marks the first day of the U.S. House session following the midterm elections. Massie previously attempted to remove Hegseth in September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned lawmakers early to prevent a vote on that earlier effort.

The resolution focuses primarily on Hegseth’s management of the war with Iran. Massie also cited the secretary’s role in military operations in Venezuela and Yemen. During a press conference outside the Capitol, Massie clarified that the articles do not accuse Hegseth of being ineffective in combat. Instead, they argue that the defense chief broke laws and violated the Constitution.

Massie stated that Hegseth was effective in achieving military objectives, including the killing of school children in Iran and conducting extrajudicial killings. He emphasized that the legal basis for the impeachment is the violation of constitutional duties rather than a failure of military strategy. Massie is pressing Speaker Johnson to bring the resolution to the floor for a vote despite the current majority.

Massie noted that the Republican majority still has the opportunity to act on the resolution. He remarked, "They can still do the right thing." If a vote occurs, Democrats are expected to support the measure. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declared himself a "hard yes" on the impeachment, describing Hegseth as the architect of a reckless and costly war of choice in Iran.

President Donald Trump responded to the news during an impromptu briefing at the White House on Monday. He said he would stand by Hegseth and urged Congress to do the same. Trump called Massie a "stone-cold loser" and argued that the Kentucky representative should not be consuming the time of Congress or the Senate. Massie had defeated his own party in May when he lost his primary to Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein.

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 defense secretary is expected to address the impeachment articles and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the Caribbean during the session.