Republican Rep. Thomas Massie forces House vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Hegseth
The gist
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie has vowed to force a House vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after the midterms.
Democrats see ousting Hegseth as a way to hit the Trump administration without impeaching Trump himself.
How it unfolded
- Apr 2026A Democrat push led by Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth over the Iran war and alleged "high crimes and misdemeanors"; the articles never reached a House vote.
- Sep 15, 2026Republican Rep. Thomas Massie surprised colleagues by reading his resolution to impeach Hegseth aloud on the House floor for multiple hours.
- Sep 16, 2026The House adjourned early, staving off a Hegseth impeachment vote; Speaker Mike Johnson said the move had nothing to do with the defense secretary.