Massie Forces Impeachment Vote on Hegseth Over 8 Charges
(MENAFN) Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican, on Monday reintroduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of eight sets of impeachable offenses that include waging unauthorized wars, undermining civilian protections and carrying out extrajudicial killings.
The resolution was filed under privileged procedures, which obligate House Republican leaders to schedule a floor vote within two legislative days. Leaders could instead try to kill it with a motion to table, which needs only a simple majority. The measure seeks Hegseth’s removal and a permanent bar on his holding federal office.
Hegseth brushed off the threat earlier in the day. “We’re not worried about impeachment. We’re going to do a press conference tomorrow morning on that topic,” Hegseth told reporters when asked whether he had enough Republican votes to defeat the articles.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries came out in favor, calling himself a “hard yes” on the resolution.
What the articles allege
The first three articles charge that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973 by directing military operations against Iran without congressional authorization and by continuing the conflict despite congressional efforts to pull U.S. forces out.
The fourth accuses him of gutting safeguards meant to prevent civilian casualties. It cites a Feb. 28 U.S. strike on Shajarah Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran, that reportedly killed more than 150 civilians, among them roughly 120 schoolchildren, mostly girls aged 12 and younger.
The fifth targets strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, which reportedly killed at least 243 people in separate attacks.
The sixth alleges that Hegseth suppressed constitutionally protected speech by retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, after Kelly took part in a video reminding service members they may refuse unlawful orders.
The seventh centers on this January’s operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Massie alleges the strike on a sovereign nation was unauthorized and left at least 83 dead and seven American casualties.
The eighth accuses Hegseth of directing an unlawful campaign in Yemen, dubbed Operation Rough Rider, that allegedly involved more than 1,100 strikes over about 52 days in 2025.
Massie: “He’s broken laws”
Speaking to reporters later, Massie said the case rests on alleged breaches of federal law and the Constitution, not on dissatisfaction with Hegseth’s performance. “We’re not indicting him for being bad at his job ... the argument here is that he’s broken laws and he’s violated the Constitution,” he said.
Massie conceded that some of the alleged conduct was ordered by President Donald Trump, but argued that Hegseth was still obliged to refuse “illegal orders.” “It is true that the president is culpable by asking Hegseth to carry out these orders, but Hegseth should not carry out illegal orders, and that’s why we’re impeaching him.”
Asked whether he considers Hegseth a war criminal after the Iran school strike, Massie declined to go that far. “I did not go that far. But I will say that he has violated the norms of war, and it’s to the disadvantage and the dishonor of our country and to the danger of our soldiers and future,” he said.
Massie said he expects Republican leaders to let Hegseth answer the charges before a vote is called, a reference to the defense secretary’s planned Tuesday press conference. “I suspect they will let the secretary give his rebuttal to these articles before they have the vote,” he told reporters.
Under House rules, he said, a vote could come within two legislative days, whether through a motion to table, a motion to refer the measure to committee, or a direct vote on the resolution itself. “We could have the vote tonight, we could have it tomorrow, we could have it Wednesday,” he said, adding that he would prefer lawmakers vote on the allegations directly.
Massie also floated a successor. “I will name a name, because I suspect he doesn’t want the job. I think Ron DeSantis would be great at it.”
The resolution was filed under privileged procedures, which obligate House Republican leaders to schedule a floor vote within two legislative days. Leaders could instead try to kill it with a motion to table, which needs only a simple majority. The measure seeks Hegseth’s removal and a permanent bar on his holding federal office.
Hegseth brushed off the threat earlier in the day. “We’re not worried about impeachment. We’re going to do a press conference tomorrow morning on that topic,” Hegseth told reporters when asked whether he had enough Republican votes to defeat the articles.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries came out in favor, calling himself a “hard yes” on the resolution.
What the articles allege
The first three articles charge that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973 by directing military operations against Iran without congressional authorization and by continuing the conflict despite congressional efforts to pull U.S. forces out.
The fourth accuses him of gutting safeguards meant to prevent civilian casualties. It cites a Feb. 28 U.S. strike on Shajarah Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran, that reportedly killed more than 150 civilians, among them roughly 120 schoolchildren, mostly girls aged 12 and younger.
The fifth targets strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, which reportedly killed at least 243 people in separate attacks.
The sixth alleges that Hegseth suppressed constitutionally protected speech by retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, after Kelly took part in a video reminding service members they may refuse unlawful orders.
The seventh centers on this January’s operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Massie alleges the strike on a sovereign nation was unauthorized and left at least 83 dead and seven American casualties.
The eighth accuses Hegseth of directing an unlawful campaign in Yemen, dubbed Operation Rough Rider, that allegedly involved more than 1,100 strikes over about 52 days in 2025.
Massie: “He’s broken laws”
Speaking to reporters later, Massie said the case rests on alleged breaches of federal law and the Constitution, not on dissatisfaction with Hegseth’s performance. “We’re not indicting him for being bad at his job ... the argument here is that he’s broken laws and he’s violated the Constitution,” he said.
Massie conceded that some of the alleged conduct was ordered by President Donald Trump, but argued that Hegseth was still obliged to refuse “illegal orders.” “It is true that the president is culpable by asking Hegseth to carry out these orders, but Hegseth should not carry out illegal orders, and that’s why we’re impeaching him.”
Asked whether he considers Hegseth a war criminal after the Iran school strike, Massie declined to go that far. “I did not go that far. But I will say that he has violated the norms of war, and it’s to the disadvantage and the dishonor of our country and to the danger of our soldiers and future,” he said.
Massie said he expects Republican leaders to let Hegseth answer the charges before a vote is called, a reference to the defense secretary’s planned Tuesday press conference. “I suspect they will let the secretary give his rebuttal to these articles before they have the vote,” he told reporters.
Under House rules, he said, a vote could come within two legislative days, whether through a motion to table, a motion to refer the measure to committee, or a direct vote on the resolution itself. “We could have the vote tonight, we could have it tomorrow, we could have it Wednesday,” he said, adding that he would prefer lawmakers vote on the allegations directly.
Massie also floated a successor. “I will name a name, because I suspect he doesn’t want the job. I think Ron DeSantis would be great at it.”
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