Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky renewed his effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on November 9, giving the House formal notice of a resolution containing eight charges. Hegseth has not been impeached.
The House Clerk recorded Massie’s notice at 2:04 p.m. EST. The presiding officer said a determination on the resolution would come when it is considered. Massie’s earlier attempt in September stalled after Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers into recess.
Three charges concern the Iran war. Massie alleges that Hegseth helped begin it without congressional authorization, continued it despite Congress directing a withdrawal, and disregarded statutory limits on how long unauthorized hostilities can continue.
The other five accuse him of weakening civilian protections, overseeing unlawful killings in attacks on suspected drug-smuggling vessels, retaliating against Senator Mark Kelly over speech about illegal orders, unlawfully seizing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and conducting unauthorized military operations in Yemen. Those are allegations in Massie’s proposal, not conclusions adopted by Congress.
Hegseth told reporters on November 9 that he was not worried about the effort and said he would address it at a Pentagon briefing on November 10, according to the BBC.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has said he supports impeachment. Massie urged President Donald Trump to replace Hegseth before Democrats take charge of Congress in 2027. Republicans still control the current Congress until the new term begins in January 2027.
The privileged procedure requires House action within two legislative days, the BBC reported. That could involve considering the charges, referring the measure to a committee or setting it aside; it does not guarantee a vote approving impeachment. Massie told reporters he did not know whether he had enough support.
An impeachment would require approval by a House majority. Removal would require conviction in a subsequent Senate trial by a two-thirds majority. Introducing the resolution accomplishes neither.