The US House voted 211 to 204 on Tuesday, 10 November, in favour of a motion to refer impeachment charges against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee. The vote all but ends the prospect of Hegseth being impeached by the current Congress. Massie was the only Republican who voted against the referral.

Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky had introduced the resolution on Monday, 9 November 2026, seeking to impeach Hegseth on eight articles, accusing him of "high crimes and misdemeanors".

The charges

The 34-page resolution covers the war on Iran, with three articles under the War Powers Resolution of 1973. These accuse Hegseth of waging war without congressional authorisation, continuing despite a congressional direction to withdraw, and disregarding statutory time limits.

The resolution also covers strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, military actions in Yemen and Venezuela, civilian casualties, and Hegseth's treatment of Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.

Massie says Operation Epic Fury, the Pentagon's name for the Iran war launched by the US and Israel on 28 February 2026, has run for 256 days without congressional authorisation. The law requires withdrawal within 60 days if Congress does not authorise hostilities.

Hegseth responds

Hegseth held a rare news conference on Tuesday, 10 November, his first in over 180 days, calling the effort a "farce", a "stunt" and "sabotage". He said criticism of the Iran war was a matter of "policy disagreements".

He said 18 Americans had died in the US-Israel war on Iran, against 60,000 in Vietnam and 37,000 in Korea. President Donald Trump has defended Hegseth.

The move comes a week after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections. Democrats take over on 3 January. Even if the House impeached Hegseth next year, the Senate would need 67 votes to convict.

Massie lost his re-election bid and leaves Congress at the end of the year. He has said he hopes the move persuades Trump to replace Hegseth.