Republican Lawmaker Files Eight Articles of Impeachment Against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Over Iran War

Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie reintroduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on 9 November, accusing him of waging war against Iran without congressional authorisation and abusing his office. The House scheduled a procedural vote for 10 November on whether to send the resolution to the Judiciary Committee.

The first three articles allege that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution by directing US forces into hostilities with Iran without congressional authorisation on 28 February, continuing operations after a congressional withdrawal resolution and keeping troops engaged beyond the statutory deadline. These are allegations set out in Massie’s resolution.

A fourth article alleges failures to protect civilians and cites the strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran. The other articles concern lethal strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats, alleged retaliation against Senator Mark Kelly, the operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and military action in Yemen.

Hegseth rejected the allegations at a Pentagon news conference on Tuesday, describing the effort as a political spectacle and defending his record. President Donald Trump backed him. If the House eventually approves an article of impeachment, the Senate would need a two-thirds majority of senators present to convict and remove him.

Massie first brought the eight articles to the House floor on 15 September, but lawmakers left for a recess without voting on them. He renewed the effort after the 3 November midterms, in which Democrats won control of both chambers for the next Congress. Massie lost his Republican primary and is due to leave Congress in January.

Representative Yassamin Ansari introduced a separate six-article resolution, H.Res. 1177, in April. Tuesday’s scheduled vote concerns whether to refer Massie’s resolution to committee. The articles themselves would require a separate House vote.