U.S. House Blocks Path to Impeach Pete Hegseth in 211-204 Vote
The Republican-led U.S. House voted 211-204 to send eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee, effectively halting the effort for now. Hegseth had called the push a “farce,” while President Donald Trump praised him after the vote.
The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives voted 211-204 on Tuesday to refer eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee, effectively blocking the effort for now.
The u.s house blocks path to impeach Hegseth as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress in January, though they may try again. The vote came hours after Hegseth denounced the impeachment push and defended his record at the Pentagon.
U.S. Representative Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who introduced the articles, warned that sending them to the committee would kill the effort. He was the only Republican to vote against the motion.
Massie had hoped to attract Republicans concerned about Hegseth’s policies and the Iran war’s unpopularity. No other Republicans joined him.
Eleven Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also missed the vote. Had eight of them voted against the motion, it would have failed and cleared the way for a full House impeachment vote.
Hegseth called the effort a “farce” and “sabotage” during a Pentagon news conference. He argued that the resolution endangered national security by signaling that the United States would punish officials for lawful military operations.
The eight articles, formally introduced on Monday, accused Hegseth of fighting a war in Iran for more than 90 days without lawmakers’ approval. They also accused him of overseeing “extrajudicial killings” in U.S. operations against boats alleged to be carrying drugs in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
Hegseth rejected the allegations, saying Massie was driven by policy differences rather than “high crimes, not misdemeanours, not treason, not bribery.” He also said his orders to U.S. forces were lawful.
President Donald Trump praised Hegseth after the vote in a post on Truth Social, saying the impeachment effort “has miserably FAILED!” Trump also credited Hegseth’s work on Iran, Venezuela and other issues with the “EXONERATION of a Great American Patriot.”
Massie said after the vote that he “wasn't surprised” but “was disappointed.” He had argued that removing Hegseth while Republicans still controlled the Senate would leave time for lawmakers to approve a replacement.
Democrats are due to take control of both chambers of Congress in January after their midterm election victory. Impeachment resolutions can carry over beyond the end of a congressional term, allowing lawmakers to revisit the matter next year.
