US House Rejects Impeachment Bid Against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth

The US House of Representatives has blocked a bid to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of waging war on Iran without congressional authorisation. The effort, introduced by Republican congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, failed in a 211-204 vote. The vote saw more than a dozen members, including 11 Democrats, missing the vote.

The bid to find Hegseth guilty of misconduct and ultimately remove him from office was seen as a long shot, requiring a number of Republicans to defy President Donald Trump. Massie was the only Republican to vote against moving the resolution to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee. The move to send the measure to the panel effectively kills the effort, as there is only a short period of time left in this Congress before Democrats take control in January.

In his first news briefing from the Pentagon in six months, Hegseth called the impeachment effort a “farce” and “sabotage”. President Trump celebrated the vote in a post on Truth Social, saying the effort “has miserably FAILED”. Trump referred to Hegseth as a "Great American Patriot" and highlighted his achievements, including "Victories in Venezuela and Iran, the Best Recruitment Numbers in the History of the Military".

Massie had previously acknowledged his impeachment bid may not succeed immediately, but argued it could help push Trump to replace Hegseth before Democrats can launch their own impeachment process. The congressman has been a vocal critic of Hegseth's policies, particularly with regards to the conflict in Iran.

The impeachment effort against Hegseth is not the only controversy surrounding the Defence Secretary. He has faced criticism for his handling of the military's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and his role in the US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.

Despite the failed impeachment bid, Hegseth is likely to face continued scrutiny from lawmakers, particularly Democrats, who have raised concerns about his policies and actions as Defence Secretary. The House Armed Services Committee has scheduled a hearing with Hegseth for later this month to discuss the Pentagon's budget and policy priorities.

The outcome of the impeachment vote was welcomed by the Pentagon, which has been focused on implementing the President's national security agenda. The Defence Secretary is expected to continue serving in his role, at least for the remainder of the current Congress.

Key points

• The US House of Representatives voted 211-204 to refer impeachment articles against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to a committee, effectively killing the effort.
• The impeachment bid was introduced by Republican congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who accused Hegseth of waging war on Iran without congressional authorisation.
• President Trump celebrated the vote, saying the effort "has miserably FAILED" and highlighting Hegseth's achievements as Defence Secretary.