WorldPosted at: Nov 11 2026 5:36PM


US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth survives impeachment attempt

Washington, Nov 11 (UNI) US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has survived an attempt to advance impeachment proceedings against him after the House of Representatives voted to refer the resolution to a Republican-led committee, effectively halting the effort for now.
The 211-204 vote on Tuesday dealt a significant setback to the campaign led by Republican Rep Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who accused Hegseth of launching military operations against Iran without congressional authorisation and violating other laws governing the use of military force.
All Republicans except Massie voted to send the resolution to the House Judiciary Committee rather than allow it to proceed directly to a vote in the full chamber. More than a dozen lawmakers, including 11 Democrats, were absent. Several Democrats attributed their absence to traffic problems.
The decision effectively sidelines the impeachment effort during the remaining period of the current Congress, although it could be revived when Democrats take control of both chambers in January.
Following the vote, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said: "This is not the end of it. It's just the beginning."
The impeachment attempt had faced significant obstacles from the outset, as its success would have required several Republicans to break with President Donald Trump and support the removal of a Cabinet member closely backed by the White House.
Trump celebrated the outcome in a post on Truth Social, declaring that the impeachment effort had "miserably FAILED".
He praised Hegseth as a "Great American Patriot", citing what he described as victories in Venezuela and Iran, record military recruitment figures and improved morale among US forces.
Hegseth had earlier dismissed the impeachment campaign as a political stunt during his first Pentagon news briefing in six months.
Describing Massie as a "disgruntled and defeated" congressman, he called the resolution a "farce" and "sabotage", arguing that it was intended to undermine lawful military operations.
The defence secretary said the allegations put US national security at risk by suggesting that American military personnel and civilian officials could face punishment for carrying out authorised missions.
"This is not patriotism. This is sabotage," he said.
Hegseth also argued that Massie's objections reflected policy disagreements rather than conduct warranting impeachment.
He said the resolution did not concern "high crimes, not misdemeanours, not treason, not bribery, not the kinds of offences the founders intended when they wrote the impeachment clause".
The eight articles of impeachment formally introduced by Massie on Monday accused Hegseth of conducting the war against Iran for more than 90 days without congressional approval. They also alleged that he oversaw extrajudicial killings during US military operations against boats suspected of carrying drugs in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
Other allegations included violations of laws intended to minimise civilian casualties and retaliation against Democratic Sen Mark Kelly.
Massie acknowledged after Tuesday's vote that he had expected the resolution to fail but said he was disappointed.
"My diagnosis of Congress is these people know what to do," he said, according to CBS News. "They just can't bring themselves to do it, even when it would benefit them politically."
The Kentucky Republican had argued that his impeachment effort could pressure Trump into replacing Hegseth before Democrats take control of Congress. He also maintained that removing the defence secretary while Republicans still controlled the Senate would give lawmakers time to confirm a successor.
Impeachment resolutions can remain active beyond the end of a congressional term, leaving open the possibility that Democrats could pursue the matter when they assume control in January.
House Speaker Mike Johnson had predicted earlier on Tuesday that the effort would fail.
Massie, who lost his Republican primary earlier this year to a Trump-backed challenger, has repeatedly clashed with the president over the Iran war and other issues, including his demand for the release of files relating to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Despite surviving the latest congressional challenge, Hegseth continues to face questions over his future in the administration. Several lawmakers, including some Republicans, have expressed reservations about his leadership.
Texas Republican Sen Ted Cruz said on Tuesday that he expected Hegseth to either resign or be dismissed by Trump.
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