Eight Impeachment Articles Filed Against Hegseth by a Fellow Republican
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has filed eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of abusing his office by initiating military action against Iran without congressional approval, VG reported. The move comes after Democrats seized control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, a defeat that Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump have both blamed on the Iran war.
Massie, who has long been openly critical of the Trump administration, plans to force a vote in the House of Representatives when Congress reconvenes, according to The Guardian as cited by VG. Several Republican sources told CNN that they believe the proposal could win a majority in the House, though conviction in the Senate would require a two-thirds majority.
Republicans Point to Hegseth After Election Loss
Anonymous Republican sources told CNN that Hegseth sold the Iran war to colleagues as simpler and faster than it turned out to be. Vice President JD Vance stated on X that “the reason we lost is the war,” Nettavisen reported. Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who is retiring after Democrat Roy Cooper won his North Carolina seat, also directed criticism at the defense secretary, telling CBS News that “Hegseth has a reckoning coming” and that he is “one of the reasons we don’t have the funding or the guarantees for defense that we need.”
Tillis added that with only 60 days left in the congressional period, lawmakers must now consider whether Hegseth is “the right person to present those needs to Congress.”
Trump Publicly Defends Hegseth While Advisers Weigh Options
President Trump has publicly rejected calls to replace Hegseth. “No, I think he’s doing a really good job,” Trump told reporters Wednesday, Reuters reported. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Nettavisen that “the president has full confidence in Defense Secretary Hegseth.”
Yet Aftenposten reported that Trump has already begun asking advisers whether he should quickly get rid of Hegseth, citing CBS News. Multiple anonymous sources with knowledge of the conversations confirmed the inquiries to CBS. Trump also acknowledged that the war contributed to the election loss but said he does not regret the decision, telling reporters: “What we did in Iran, we had to do, and we’re continuing with it,” according to Reuters.
Democrats Prepare Investigations Across Six Fronts
Democrats had already described an offensive against Hegseth if they won the majority, the Washington Post reported before the election. The Pentagon is now preparing for extensive hearings and for military leaders to be called to testify. The areas Democrats plan to scrutinize include:
- The Iran war: Massie’s accusation that Hegseth initiated hostilities without congressional approval.
- Politicization of the military: The removal of senior officers and what Democrats see as a weakening of the military’s political independence, according to the Washington Post and Reuters.
- Boat strikes: U.S. attacks on vessels suspected of drug smuggling; some Democrats argue the strikes could constitute war crimes, Reuters reported.
- Contracts and Ukraine: Democratic Representative Adam Smith has announced investigations into possible corruption in defense contracts, the Washington Post reported.
- Relationship with Congress: The Pentagon has been criticized for withholding information, and Hegseth has a strained relationship with lawmakers in both parties, according to the Washington Post.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell rejected the criticism, telling the Washington Post that the department has followed the law and describing the announced investigations as “false witch hunts” and attempts to score partisan points. The Pentagon said Hegseth is “100 percent committed” to leading the department through the rest of Trump’s term.
Senate’s Role After House Impeachment
What happens if the House votes to impeach Hegseth?
The case would move to the Senate, where conviction and removal from office require a two-thirds majority. No vote has been scheduled yet; Massie plans to force one when Congress reconvenes.
Has any president’s cabinet member ever been impeached and removed?
Several cabinet secretaries have faced impeachment proceedings in U.S. history, but none has been convicted by the Senate.
Why did Republicans lose control of Congress?
Vice President JD Vance said the Iran war was the reason the party lost. President Trump also acknowledged the war contributed to the defeat, though he defended the decision to strike Iran.
The Question Still Open
Trump has not announced any personnel changes, and sources close to Hegseth told both CNN and the Washington Post that he intends to stay and fight any impeachment effort. Whether Republican support for Massie’s resolution holds when Congress returns remains unknown.
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