House poised to impeach Pete Hegseth after GOP midterm defeat
House Republican leaders are bracing for enough GOP defections to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when the measure comes to a vote this week. Why it matters : Republicans who were defeated in Tuesday's election-night bloodbath have little left to lose and could be more willing to back impeaching Hegseth, whose overall support has eroded since the start of the Iran war. Hegseth doesn't have…
House Republicans anticipate a vote to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week, despite his significant loss of support since the start of the Iran war. The decision to impeach Hegseth may be driven by Republican losses in the recent midterm elections. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) plans to initiate a resolution to impeach Hegseth, accusing him of defying Congress and continuing the U.S. war in Iran.
However, Republican leaders previously avoided the vote prior to Election Day, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) canceling votes and sending lawmakers home early. Hegseth, who faces criticism from both within and outside the Trump administration, is under intense pressure. His tone and rhetoric have been deemed damaging to the party's efforts to communicate the reasons behind military actions, according to GOP lawmakers.
Despite Trump's defense of Hegseth, Massie urges Trump to replace him, should he remain in office after January. Even if the House impeaches Hegseth, removal from office would require a two-thirds Senate vote, a hurdle that appears unlikely to be surmounted, even with Democrats in control.
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