Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky formally moved Tuesday to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, citing the administration’s conduct of the war in Iran.
Massie read the articles of impeachment aloud from the House floor shortly after the chamber convened at noon, marking a significant break from his own party.
The Kentucky congressman alleges that Hegseth initiated the Iran conflict unlawfully, defied congressional orders to withdraw, and caused unnecessary civilian casualties.
Massie frames these actions as “high crimes and misdemeanors,” the constitutional standard required to pursue impeachment proceedings against a sitting cabinet official.
The move comes from a congressman who has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration throughout his tenure and is leaving office after losing his primary to a Trump-backed opponent.
Beyond the Iran war, Massie worked alongside Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California to successfully compel the Trump administration to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Republicans hold enough votes in theory to defeat the impeachment proposal, though members representing competitive districts may find the vote politically difficult given the war’s deep unpopularity.
Public opposition to the Iran conflict has been widespread, and the war has contributed to rising costs across the United States over the past six months.
The administration has maintained the conflict was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, though experts have argued the country was not close to developing one before hostilities began.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson pushed back against the impeachment effort in a statement, writing that “Secretary Hegseth has been a transformative leader for the Department of War” and that “the entire Department is unified behind the Secretary’s vision and will continue working to put our warfighters and America first.”
The House faces a tight deadline, as it must act on Massie’s proposal by Thursday before lawmakers depart Washington for an extended recess running through the November midterm elections.
The timing adds pressure to Republican leadership, who must manage a potentially divisive procedural vote while the war remains a defining and contentious issue heading into the midterms.
