Republican Rep. Massie forces House vote to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth
The gist
Rep. Thomas Massie is forcing a House vote on eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
GOP midterm losses have some Republicans bracing for defections, so the vote could pass.
How it unfolded
- Sep 15, 2026Rep. Thomas Massie announced he would force a House vote to impeach Hegseth, introducing eight articles of impeachment, three concerning the Iran war.
- Sep 16, 2026Speaker Mike Johnson sent members home early for a seven-week recess, delaying the vote; Massie's resolution is privileged and must be taken up within two legislative days.
- Nov 3, 2026Democrats regained control of both the Senate and House in the midterms, flipping seven Senate seats and 26 House seats.
Key terms
- articles of impeachment
- The process by which a legislature brings charges against an official for serious misconduct, possibly leading to removal after trial.
- War Powers Resolution of 1973
- A U.S. federal law limiting the president's power to commit armed forces to conflict without congressional consent.
Source: Wikipedia