House Faces Impeachment Vote on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (OPA) — A lame-duck House of Representatives is scheduled to vote this week on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Outgoing Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie introduced the resolution amid growing defections within the GOP following last week's midterm elections. With 214 Democrats seated in the House, the measure requires support from at least three Republicans to pass. Massie is already on board, leaving proponents needing two additional GOP votes to secure a simple majority.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed the resolution on Sunday, telling ABC's This Week that he is a hard yes on the measure. Jeffries accused Hegseth of abusing power, undermining national security, and engineering a costly conflict in Iran that has raised prices and compromised domestic safety. Massie blasted the Pentagon chief for committing high crimes and misdemeanors by carrying out military actions in Iran without a formal congressional declaration of war.

Hegseth dismissed Massie as a disgruntled and defeated congressman who dropped sham articles of impeachment. However, cracks in Republican unity are widening. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer stated that the votes for impeachment may already exist in the chamber, while Arkansas Republican Representative French Hill told CBS News he wants to hear the debate before deciding between impeachment or alternative disciplinary action.

President Donald Trump has maintained his support for his Pentagon chief, expressing full confidence in Hegseth during a 60 Minutes interview that aired on Sunday. Massie utilized a privileged resolution procedural move to bypass the committee process and force the floor vote. If the House passes the resolution, a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate would be required to convict Hegseth during a trial.