Republican Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Initiates Impeachment Proceedings Against the Secretary of War

U.S. Representative Thomas Massie introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, accusing him of abusing his office by executing an order to launch combat operations against Iran without congressional approval.

The impeachment resolution is unlikely to be approved, but the move by the Kentucky Republican could force a vote in the House of Representatives, posing a challenge for some Republican colleagues who are preparing to leave Washington ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for November.

Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson said in an email statement, “The entire Department stands united behind the Secretary’s vision and will continue to work to put our fighters and America’s interests first.”

Massie introduced the impeachment articles against Hegseth as a priority matter, meaning the House must consider them within two days of legislative action.

Massie, a vocal critic of the war with Iran and of aid to Israel, will not seek re-election. He lost the May primary to a candidate backed by Republican President Donald Trump, after angering the president by leading a campaign to release Department of Justice files linked to the late businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex crimes.

Polls indicate that the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, is unpopular among voters. Members of Congress, mostly Democrats, have repeatedly voted in favor of resolutions calling on Trump to end the conflict unless he obtains congressional support, but these resolutions have not halted combat operations.

Polls suggest that Trump-aligned Republicans face a tough battle to maintain their control of both the House and the Senate when voters head to the polls on November 3.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Monday showed Democrats leading Republicans 44 percent to 37 percent in congressional voting preferences.

Trump’s popularity has declined since he launched the war, which disrupted oil shipments and pushed fuel prices to near-record highs, negatively affecting the financial situation of American households.