Breaking
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week, a sweeping resolution that touches on nearly every major military action of the past year, from the Iran conflict to Caribbean drug-boat strikes to the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Massie made the resolution privileged, which under House rules forces a floor vote within two legislative days unless Speaker Mike Johnson moves to adjourn the chamber first.
The articles accuse Hegseth of waging an unauthorized war against Iran without a declaration or congressional authorization, continuing hostilities beyond the 60-day War Powers Resolution limit, and ignoring congressional directives to withdraw troops. Massie also cited the bombing of Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran, in February, which killed 156 civilians, including 120 schoolchildren. “Secretary Hegseth abused the powers entrusted to him as Secretary of Defense by subordinating the constitutional limits on the use of military force,” Massie wrote in the resolution, arguing the conduct “warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.”
Details & Background
Beyond the Iran allegations, Massie’s articles accuse Hegseth of replacing standard maritime law enforcement with unauthorized lethal strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean, retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly over his public comments on classified briefings, and launching “Operation Rough Rider” in Yemen without congressional authorization or proper reporting to Congress. A separate article centers on “Operation Absolute Resolve,” the mission that captured Maduro, which Massie argues was conducted without constitutional authority.
On the elementary school strike specifically, Massie’s resolution goes further than a policy disagreement, alleging Hegseth “directed the Department of Defense in a manner that foreseeably dismantled the safeguards necessary to distinguish civilian objects from military objects,” language that frames the deaths as a foreseeable consequence of how Hegseth ran targeting decisions rather than an isolated mistake. Massie’s impeachment push also lands the same week the House passed a separate War Powers resolution, 220-204, aimed at ending U.S. hostilities with Iran, with seven Republicans crossing the aisle to back it. It marked the third time this year the chamber has voted on legislation to rein in the administration’s Iran operations.
Reactions
The Pentagon pushed back firmly. Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said Hegseth “has been a transformative leader for the Department of War” and affirmed the department’s unity behind his approach to military operations. Massie did not notify Republican leadership before filing the resolution, a break from how such privileged motions are typically handled within the conference.
The timing is notable given Massie’s own political situation: he lost his Republican primary earlier this year to a Trump-endorsed challenger and is serving out his final months in Congress. That status has given him latitude other sitting Republicans might not feel they have, and it comes the same week Massie is separately pushing a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing additional Epstein files, putting him at odds with leadership on two fronts simultaneously.
Why This Matters to You
Because the resolution is privileged, the House will be forced to formally address it within days, putting Republicans on record either voting to table it, refer it to committee, or take it up directly, regardless of whether leadership wants the vote at all. Even if it has little chance of ultimately removing Hegseth, a floor vote creates a public record of exactly where every member stands on the administration’s military conduct.
For anyone following the broader Iran and Venezuela operations, Massie’s articles compile, in one document, nearly every major controversy surrounding Hegseth’s tenure at the Pentagon this year. Whether or not the impeachment effort goes anywhere, it puts fresh scrutiny on decisions that have so far avoided a direct up-or-down vote in Congress.
