The defense secretary is accused of leading a war against Iran without the necessary congressional approval.
Published November 10, 2026
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have halted efforts to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following midterm elections that sparked voter dissatisfaction with the Iran war, which Hegseth helped spearhead.
In a procedural vote Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a motion to refer the impeachment case to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, effectively killing an effort led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie to remove Hegseth from his position.
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The push also drew support from Democrats and was a test of whether Republicans will break with the Trump administration and distance themselves from the unpopular war after being criticized in polls.
The final vote Tuesday was 211 in favor to 204 against, with Massey the only Republican to vote against it. The result means Republicans can move the process slowly and avoid direct votes on eight counts of impeachment against Mr. Hegseth, which cover issues such as the Iran war.
“Democrats’ attempt to impeach Army Secretary Pete Hegseth has failed miserably!” President Trump said in a post on social media after the vote. “Every Republican except the major loser, Thomas Massey, voted for Pete.”
Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s vote, impeachment and conviction in the Senate is seen as unlikely. A two-thirds vote is required to convict, and Republicans hold a majority of 53 seats.
‘farce’
Massey’s resolution contains eight separate articles of impeachment, accusing the belligerent Pentagon chief of launching an illegal war against Iran without Congressional approval and overseeing a campaign of attacks targeting drug-trafficking vessels that legal scholars say are extrajudicial killings.
Hegseth denounced the resolution as “sabotage” and a “travesty,” but US President Donald Trump and prominent members of his administration expressed their continued support for him.
Speculation about Mr. Hegseth’s position in the administration has intensified after Republicans faced painful defeats in the midterm elections, with polls suggesting voters blame the war in part for soaring prices for things like gasoline and food.
“Is he telling the truth about how the war is going?” outgoing Republican Sen. Joni Ernst said of Hegseth on Tuesday.
