Republican deputy introduces articles for the impeachment of the Secretary of War in the US House of Representatives

Washington, Sept 11 (KUNA) – Republican Representative Thomas Massie introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday in the House of Representatives, accusing him of abusing his office in connection with military operations against Iran. A vote on the measure is expected by Wednesday. U.S. news network CNN quoted Massie as saying that Hegseth “abused the powers of his office through his actions during the war with Iran.” The representative, who will soon leave office, added that “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has demonstrated through his conduct that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if he remains in office, and that his behavior is entirely inconsistent with his duties and the rule of law.”

Sufficient votes are likely to be available to bring impeachment charges against the defense secretary, as the procedure requires a simple majority in the House. If all Democrats join Massie and a small number of Republicans vote in favor, Hegseth will be formally impeached. According to CNN, however, it is unlikely that this step will succeed in surpassing the two-thirds threshold required to convict and remove Hegseth from office, as that would necessitate the support of approximately 20 Republican senators.

Hegseth had previously taken a defiant stance toward the move after Massie announced his intention last week, while U.S. President Donald Trump expressed satisfaction with his defense secretary’s performance. Massie, the Republican representative from Kentucky who has clashed with his party over the past year, had earlier stated that his call to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth represents “a milder version of what will happen when Democrats take control of Congress, as they will hold hearings and trials.”

The controversy surrounding Hegseth follows the Democrats’ sweeping victory in the midterm elections, in which they gained control of both the House and the Senate, achieving historic gains in key states such as Texas, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Maine, and others. Hegseth is scheduled to hold a press conference, which media reports suggest will be aimed at defending himself against the impeachment proceedings. (End) R.S.R./F.A.S.