Hegseth Survives Impeachment Bid as House Votes 211-204
(MENAFN) The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives shut down an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, voting 211-204 to send the resolution to committee, a procedural move that effectively buries it.
The vote came just 24 hours after Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced the articles of impeachment, which target Hegseth’s handling of the U.S. war with Iran and other military hostilities.
Massie, a longtime critic of President Donald Trump, will leave Congress at the end of the year. His resolution lays out eight charges and accuses Hegseth of violating three specific provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
“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 in a statement on Monday.
Hegseth hit back at a Pentagon news conference Tuesday morning, dismissing the push as a “farce” and a “stunt” meant to damage Trump. He branded Massie a “disgruntled and defeated congressman.”
Shortly before the House voted, the White House issued a statement forcefully opposing the resolution.
The defeat may offer only temporary relief for Hegseth. Democrats flipped more than 40 seats in the Nov. 3 midterm elections and are projected to control more than 250 seats when the new Congress convenes in January.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is on track to be elected speaker in January, said Democrats will “run Pete Hegseth out of town” once they take control of Congress next year.
The vote came just 24 hours after Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced the articles of impeachment, which target Hegseth’s handling of the U.S. war with Iran and other military hostilities.
Massie, a longtime critic of President Donald Trump, will leave Congress at the end of the year. His resolution lays out eight charges and accuses Hegseth of violating three specific provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
“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 in a statement on Monday.
Hegseth hit back at a Pentagon news conference Tuesday morning, dismissing the push as a “farce” and a “stunt” meant to damage Trump. He branded Massie a “disgruntled and defeated congressman.”
Shortly before the House voted, the White House issued a statement forcefully opposing the resolution.
The defeat may offer only temporary relief for Hegseth. Democrats flipped more than 40 seats in the Nov. 3 midterm elections and are projected to control more than 250 seats when the new Congress convenes in January.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is on track to be elected speaker in January, said Democrats will “run Pete Hegseth out of town” once they take control of Congress next year.
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