Republican Launches Impeachment Bid Against US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth

A Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, Thomas Massie, has introduced articles of impeachment against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of abusing his office and conducting military operations without proper congressional authorisation.

Massie, who represents Kentucky, formally introduced the impeachment resolution on Monday, November 9, 2026, seeking to hold Hegseth accountable for his role in the Trump administration’s military campaigns, particularly the ongoing war involving Iran.

The resolution contains eight articles of impeachment outlining allegations that Hegseth violated constitutional and statutory restrictions governing the use of American military power.

Among the allegations is that Hegseth participated in launching and continuing military operations against Iran without a declaration of war or approval from Congress. Massie also accused the defence secretary of disregarding legal safeguards intended to protect civilians during military operations.

Other allegations concern military actions involving Yemen and Venezuela, including alleged extrajudicial killings and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Massie argued that the defence secretary had exceeded his constitutional authority and could not be allowed to continue exercising powers in ways he considered unlawful.

The impeachment effort comes amid growing divisions within the Republican Party over President Donald Trump’s military strategy and the consequences of the Iran conflict.

Several Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns about the war, with some linking public dissatisfaction with the administration’s foreign policy to the party’s poor performance in the November midterm elections.

The resolution is expected to force a House vote within two legislative days. If approved by a simple majority, the impeachment articles would proceed to the Senate, where a two-thirds majority would be required to convict and remove Hegseth from office.

However, the outcome remains uncertain, particularly given the political divisions within Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has opposed the impeachment effort, arguing that pursuing such action while American forces are engaged in overseas hostilities would send the wrong message.

Hegseth has dismissed the allegations and said he is not worried about the impeachment effort. He has also announced plans to address the controversy during a Pentagon press conference.

President Trump has continued to express support for his defence secretary, indicating that he intends to keep him in office.

If the House approves the resolution, Hegseth would become the third Cabinet secretary in American history to be impeached.