In a vote on Capitol Hill, an attempt to impeach United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is accused of waging war in Iran without congressional authorization, has been halted temporarily. A majority of the House of Representatives agreed to refer the impeachment articles to a committee, effectively stalling the effort initiated by dissident Republican congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky. During his first press conference at the Pentagon in six months, Hegseth deemed the impeachment attempt a "farce" and "sabotage." The bid aimed to remove Hegseth from office for misconduct fell short due to its long odds, requiring numerous Republicans to defy President Donald Trump. Massie was the only Republican to vote against moving the resolution to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
In response to the measure's defeat, President Trump praised Hegseth as a "Great American Patriot" and criticized Massie as a "major LOSER." He also celebrated victories in Venezuela and Iran, record military recruitment numbers, and an unprecedented spirit within the armed forces, leading to Hegseth's exoneration. Massie had anticipated that his impeachment bid might not be successful immediately but argued it could influence Trump to replace Hegseth before Democrats launch their own impeachment process. Removing Hegseth now would provide the Senate with time to approve a replacement while Republicans still hold power, and impeachment resolutions can be carried past the end of a congressional term, allowing Democrats to revisit the issue next year.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Hegseth characterized the efforts to impeach him as a political stunt by an opponent of the Trump administration who was "disgruntled and defeated." He also maintained that Massie's resolution endangered national security by signaling to US adversaries that the United States would punish its own military personnel for executing lawful military operations. Hegseth echoed some statements made by President Trump, including boasts about increased military recruitment levels, but claimed Massie was motivated by policy differences rather than high crimes or misdemeanors. Massie, who lost re-election earlier this year to a Trump-backed opponent, has been critical of Trump and the war in Iran since it began in February. Some lawmakers, including some Republicans, have questioned Hegseth's ability to remain in the administration for an extended period. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, predicted that Hegseth would either resign or be fired by Trump.