Massie files new impeachment papers against Hegseth ahead of House vote

Eight specific charges now face a House vote within 48 hours. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., reintroduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday. The resolution accuses the Pentagon chief of high crimes and misdemeanors. It cites three counts for illegally waging war against Iran in violation of the War Powers Resolution. One count involves ignoring laws meant to minimize civilian casualties. Another addresses oversight of extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean. The resolution also includes a charge for suppressing free speech related to Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. It adds a count for the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without congressional authorization. The final count alleges illegal war actions in Yemen.

Massie first attempted to bring this resolution to the floor before the midterm elections. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called an early recess to avoid the vote. That move caused the original resolution to expire. Massie reintroduced the text on Monday to restart the process. Hegseth responded to the renewed effort in a video released last Thursday. He dismissed the measure as sham articles of impeachment. Hegseth said the tactic did not work against President Trump and would not work with him.

The two men have a personal history of conflict. Hegseth campaigned for Ed Gallrein during the Republican primary, where Gallrein defeated Massie. Hegseth called Massie a disgruntled defeated congressman. Massie told reporters on Monday that he is a defeated congressman but not disgruntled. He described impeachment as a method of firing an official. Massie noted that the process does not involve prison or fines. He predicted Democratic leadership would be more vicious in the future.

Massie stated the effort aims to litigate whether Congress holds real war powers. He argued the War Powers Resolution has been ignored by presidents of both parties. He said the core issue is the balance of power between the executive branch and Congress. Presumptive next House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has signaled support for an impeachment push. Some Republicans who oppose the move suggest the administration should better explain its Iran strategy to the public.

Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, told NPR that impeaching Hegseth would be hypocritical. He noted that administrations since the Korean War have largely ignored congressional war powers efforts. Davidson said scapegoating Hegseth represents status quo politics. He called impeachment a mistake. Davidson suggested lawmakers use the power of the purse to withhold funding for the conflict instead.

The House vote could pass with the support of all Democrats, Massie, and a small number of Republicans. Conviction in the Senate remains unlikely. That chamber requires a two-thirds majority to remove an official from office. The next scheduled step is the House floor vote in the next two days.

The resolution lists the capture of Maduro as one of the eight specific counts. Massie emphasized that the process is a mechanism for firing a cabinet member. The vote will test the current House composition on the scope of executive war authority.