It has begun. Days after Republicans absorbed sweeping midterm losses, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie took to the House floor and read a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Associated Press reported that Massie moved Monday to force a vote, pressing fellow Republicans to remove one of the Trump administration’s most prominent figures. The resolution largely focuses on the war in Iran but also references military actions in Yemen against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and in Venezuela. Massie said Hegseth knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders and remains a threat to the Constitution.
President Donald Trump lashed out at Massie hours later, calling him a loser who has a lot of hatred in his heart. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries supports the measure. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Hegseth must stand trial before the Senate. If most Democrats follow Jeffries, Massie would need only a few Republican votes to impeach. A House vote could come by midweek. Next steps remain uncertain. If the House impeaches, the Senate would decide whether to dismiss the charges or hold a trial.
Republican leaders expressed frustration. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has tried to prevent the vote, said impeachment in the middle of hostilities abroad would be a terrible look for allies and enemies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune questioned why the vote was being held now and said the ultimate decision is in the House. Hegseth stepped forward at a Pentagon press conference. After a speech at the Naval War College, he said there are a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success. He added that if the administration wants to litigate the military actions, he is happy to do it all day long. Asked about Vice President JD Vance blaming the Iran war for the GOP losses, Hegseth noted that Trump said he would do it again and that he would agree.
Trump defended Hegseth to reporters, pointing to results in Venezuela and Iran. There had been brief talk before the press conference that Hegseth might resign, with speculation that Virginia Rep. Rob Wittman could be considered for the post. Wittman narrowly lost his re-election bid in the 1st District to Shannon Taylor. Hegseth is among Republicans expected to consider a 2028 presidential run. Massie himself was defeated in a primary by a Trump-backed challenger earlier this year. The host notes the pattern: Democrats campaigned on affordability and the high road, then returned to the impeachment path used in 2019 and 2020. The resolution sets a two-day clock under House rules. Procedural votes and possible final action remain fluid as the lame-duck session continues.
What happens next is a House procedural vote that could clear the way for a full impeachment vote or send the matter to committee. Senate consideration would follow only if the House acts. Hegseth has said he remains committed to leading the Department through the end of the Trump term. Viewers are asked whether this marks the start of a string of impeachments.
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