Washington (TDI): US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to face a potential impeachment vote in the House of Representatives this week after Republican Congressman Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment accusing him of waging war against Iran without congressional authorization and committing other alleged abuses of power.
Massie, a Kentucky Republican, submitted the resolution on Monday, triggering a two-day period before a possible House vote. The move has intensified political divisions in Washington over the US military campaign against Iran and the powers of the defense secretary.
Addressing reporters, Massie warned that Republican leadership could attempt to avoid a direct vote by using procedural measures to dismiss the resolution, Reuters reported.
“They may try to get out of an actual vote on the substance of this. We should have a vote and a rigorous debate on these eight articles of impeachment,” he said.
According to congressional sources cited in the report, the resolution could secure enough support to pass the Republican-controlled House, despite President Donald Trump’s party retaining its majority until Democrats assume control on January 3.
However, a conviction in the Senate appears unlikely. Removing Hegseth through impeachment would require a two-thirds majority, while Republicans currently hold 53 of the chamber’s 100 seats.
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Trump has strongly defended his defense secretary, pointing to the US military’s operations involving Iran and Venezuela. “Well, he won two wars. I don’t know how you can impeach him,” Trump told Reuters in an interview on Monday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has also opposed the initiative, arguing that pursuing impeachment while the United States remains involved in overseas hostilities would send the wrong message internationally. He described the effort as “a terrible thing for our allies and our enemies to see.”
Hegseth has rejected the prospect of stepping aside and launched a public campaign to defend his position. In a video message last week, he said he would not back down, drawing a comparison with Trump, who faced impeachment twice during his presidency.
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“It didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me,” Hegseth said. Asked on Monday whether he had sufficient Republican support to defeat the impeachment effort, he replied: “We’re not worried about that.”
