Nov. 10 — In a rare intraparty challenge to the executive branch, Republican Representative Thomas Massie introduced formal articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday, alleging violations of federal law, constitutional overreach, and the execution of unlawful military operations.
The outgoing lawmaker from Kentucky refiled eight articles of impeachment shortly after the House of Representatives reconvened on Monday, charging Hegseth with executing unauthorized orders and undermining constitutional governance. Massie urged the defense chief to step down before incoming Democrats assume majority control of the chamber in January, affirming his readiness to build a bipartisan coalition behind the effort.
“I understand that a lot of them want to vote for it just because they want to see Hegseth gone,” Massie remarked at a press conference. “I welcome their votes.”
Hegseth struck a defiant posture when questioned by reporters, dismissing the allegations as politically driven maneuvers.
“There are a lot of politically motivated individuals who have deep policy disagreements, but their disagreement is with success,” Hegseth said. “If we want to bring the military actions we took into court, I’d be glad to stand and defend them all day long.”
The impeachment resolution accuses Hegseth of circumventing Congress and breaching the War Powers Resolution by prosecuting hostilities abroad without statutory authorization. Massie highlighted a February airstrike on an educational facility in Minab, Iran, which reportedly killed over 150 people—including 120 children—attributing the tragedy to a culture of non-compliant and reckless warfare.
The eight articles also cite:
Extrajudicial maritime strikes targeting alleged narcotics vessels across the Caribbean and Pacific theaters.
The purported covert abduction of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The erosion of constitutional press protections through tightened media restrictions within the Pentagon.
The unlawful execution of military hostilities inside Yemen without legislative consent.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Pentagon chief, praising Hegseth’s administrative performance and asserting that the military engagements, while contentious, were strategically imperative.
While impeaching a cabinet secretary requires a simple majority in the 435-seat House and a two-thirds supermajority in the Senate for conviction and removal, the legislative maneuver signals mounting institutional pressure on Hegseth ahead of the Democratic takeover of Capitol Hill in January.