Hegseth faces impeachment over war decisions

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is now under threat of impeachment after Republican Representative Thomas Massie introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives. On Monday, Massie formally accused Hegseth of executing unlawful orders and violating the US Constitution. The charges center on the administration's military campaigns against Iran and Venezuela, as well as allegations of systematic failures to protect civilian populations.

Massie presented eight distinct articles of impeachment on Monday, initiating a two-day procedural countdown. This timeline suggests that the House could hold a vote on the resolution by the middle of the week. While top Democratic leaders have signaled their support for the measure, Hegseth has adopted a defiant stance. He maintains strong backing from President Donald Trump, who has publicly declared his intent to stand by the defense chief even if he is formally impeached.

The US Constitution grants the House the sole power to initiate impeachment proceedings against senior officials, including cabinet members. Removal can occur for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. If a majority of the House votes to impeach, the Senate must then decide whether to convict and remove the official. Conviction requires a two-thirds majority of Senate votes. If successful, Hegseth would become the second head of the US military to face impeachment since William Belknap in 1876.

Four of the eight articles focus on the conflict with Iran, citing the 1973 War Powers Resolution. The resolution limits presidential authority to wage war without congressional approval. The articles accuse Hegseth of going to war without such approval or a direct attack on the US. They also allege he ignored a June resolution ordering US forces out of the fighting and continued hostilities after a 60-day limit expired on May 1. Additionally, Hegseth is accused of dismantling civilian protection infrastructure and bearing responsibility for the Minab school strike, which killed 156 civilians, mostly children, on the first day of the war.

Two articles address the conflict with Venezuela, which began with months of strikes on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific in 2025. In January, US special forces abducted former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a raid on Caracas. The articles charge Hegseth with committing an act of war without congressional approval and using drug enforcement as a cover to control Venezuelan oil. They also cite the extrajudicial killing of at least 243 people in 69 boat strikes, many in international waters, and note that shipwrecked targets were struck again despite posing no threat.

One article concerns the 2025 air campaign in Yemen against the Houthi group. Hegseth is accused of launching the campaign without a declaration of war or congressional approval, in breach of the War Powers Resolution. The article notes that President Trump did not notify Congress until 13 days after the strikes began. The operation is said to have killed an estimated 224 civilians. A leaked Signal chat between Hegseth and other senior officials is cited to show that they agreed there was no imminent threat justifying the bypass of Congress.

The final non-conflict article relates to Hegseth's treatment of Democratic Senator Mark Kelly. Kelly, a retired Navy captain, appeared in a video with other lawmakers telling troops they could refuse illegal orders. Hegseth accused them of sedition and threatened prosecution, while President Trump called their conduct punishable by death. The article accuses Hegseth of trying to subject congressional oversight to the discretion of the Department of Defense.

Hegseth held a press conference on Tuesday, calling the motion a farce and a stunt. He argued that the conflicts were lawful military operations and that impeachment was being used to settle policy disagreements. He warned that punishing him would set a precedent for prosecuting soldiers for doing their jobs. He stated that if opponents wanted to target warriors, they would have to come through him first.

The path to removal remains difficult. Republicans control the House until January 3, when Democrats are expected to take over. If most Democrats support the resolution, Massie would need only a few Republican votes to pass impeachment in the House. However, conviction in the Senate is challenging. Republicans currently hold 53 seats, and even with Democrats gaining control next year, they would likely fall short of the 67 votes needed for a two-thirds majority. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has said Hegseth must stand trial, while Massie has urged President Trump to replace Hegseth now while he still can.

Massie emphasized that the administration's description of the Maduro raid as a law enforcement operation was misleading. He stated the goal was to kidnap a foreign leader to take their oil. He also dismissed the idea that the Minab school strike was a mistake caused by the fog of war, noting that the US had months to prepare for the unilateral attack on Iran.