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Pete Hegseth, the US Defense Secretary, could face a Hegseth impeachment vote in the House of Representatives as early as next week. Republicans are blaming the Iran war for their heavy losses in Tuesday's midterm elections, and support for removing him is growing.
The push is led by Thomas Massie, an outgoing Republican congressman from Kentucky, who has given Hegseth a simple choice: resign, or be impeached. Hegseth has refused to go quietly, calling the effort a "sham" and defending the war as "courageous and historic".
Here is what Hegseth is accused of, how an impeachment vote works, and what could happen next.
Why Hegseth is facing impeachment now
The Iran war has become the main explanation, inside the Republican Party, for its midterm defeat. Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate on 3 November, and Vice President JD Vance has blamed the war for the result. President Trump called Vance's assessment "largely true", pointing to the higher fuel prices the war has caused.
That has left Hegseth, who has run the war from the Pentagon, badly exposed. Axios quoted a source describing him as "definitely on thin ice", and an administration official said they expected the president to "hold Pete Hegseth accountable" during the lame-duck period before the new Congress sits in January.
Several Republicans who stood by Hegseth before the election now say they could support impeachment. Democracy Now reported that the resolution appears to have enough cross-party support to pass, although no vote count has been published.
What are the eight articles of impeachment?
Massie first laid the resolution before the House on 15 September 2026, reading its eight articles on the floor for more than an hour. According to Fox News, they accuse Hegseth of:
| Article | Allegation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Waging a war in Iran that was unlawful from the start under the War Powers Resolution of 1973 |
| 2 | Ignoring directions from the House and Senate to withdraw troops from Iran |
| 3 | Continuing hostilities after the War Powers Resolution's 60-day limit expired |
| 4 | Failing to take steps to reduce civilian casualties |
| 5 | Replacing law enforcement with lethal military strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean |
| 6 | Retaliating against Senator Mark Kelly over a video he made, suppressing his free speech |
| 7 | The operation to seize Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, described as the "kidnapping of a sovereign foreign leader" |
| 8 | Launching strikes in Yemen without congressional approval or an imminent threat to the US |
The first three articles, on the Iran war itself, are the heart of the case. Massie says Hegseth "abused the powers entrusted to him" and should face "removal from office and disqualification".
Massie's ultimatum: resign or be impeached
After Tuesday's results, Massie said he would force a vote when Congress returns next week unless Hegseth resigns first. He has said he will not bring the articles back if Hegseth resigns or the president removes him.
Massie can force the vote because an impeachment resolution is "privileged" under House rules. Once he formally calls it up, party leaders cannot bury it in committee, and the House must act on it within two legislative days. Republican leaders delayed an earlier attempt until after the midterms, but that option is now running out.
Hegseth's response: "We don't back down"
Hegseth answered in a video posted on X on Thursday, 5 November. He described the move as "sham articles of impeachment" brought by "a disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies".
"It's all about the politics of personal destruction," he said. "Didn't work against President Trump, and it won't work with me."
He defended the war as an effort "that will ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons", and called for at least $350 billion in extra military funding. President Trump said on Thursday that he has "every intention" of keeping Hegseth in his job.
How does impeachment work?
Impeachment is a two-stage process set out in the US Constitution:
- The House votes on the articles. A simple majority of those voting is enough to impeach. Impeachment is the formal charge, not a conviction.
- The Senate holds a trial. Senators act as the jury. Removing an official from office needs a two-thirds majority of the senators present, a much higher bar.
Only two cabinet secretaries have ever been impeached. William Belknap, President Grant's Secretary of War, was impeached in 1876 over a corruption scandal. Alejandro Mayorkas, President Biden's Homeland Security Secretary, was impeached in February 2024, but the Senate dismissed the charges without a full trial. No cabinet secretary has ever been convicted and removed by the Senate.
What happens next?
- Next week: Congress returns, and Massie is expected to call up the resolution. Republican leaders could try to delay it, table it or send it to committee, but each of those needs a majority vote, and some Republicans may now refuse.
- If the House impeaches: The articles go to the Senate. With the current Congress ending in early January, it is not yet clear whether a trial would take place before then or in the new Democratic-led Senate.
- If Hegseth resigns or is removed: Massie has said the impeachment would be dropped, although Democrats have promised their own investigations of the Pentagon's handling of the war once they take control.
- The Iran war itself: Trump met his national security team this week to discuss resuming strikes on Iran. Democrats in the new Congress are also preparing a binding War Powers Resolution to end the conflict.
Why it matters outside the US
For Britain and Europe, Hegseth's future is tied to the question of whether the Iran war escalates or winds down. Nigel Farage told the BBC this week that he was worried Trump could step up the war after the midterm "disaster". A change at the Pentagon, or a Congress that cuts off funding, would affect oil prices, shipping in the Gulf and the UK's defence planning.
Sources: Fox News, Fox News, Axios, Democracy Now, US News / Reuters, CBC, Newsweek, Washington Examiner.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
He is accused of running the Iran war without the approval Congress requires under the War Powers Resolution, and of continuing it after Congress told him to withdraw troops. The eight articles also cover strikes on drug traffickers, the Maduro operation, Yemen and his treatment of Senator Mark Kelly.
Thomas Massie has said he will force a House vote when Congress returns the week of 9 November, unless Hegseth resigns first. Because the resolution is privileged, the House must deal with it within two legislative days of it being called up.
Thomas Massie, an outgoing Republican congressman from Kentucky. He first introduced the eight articles on 15 September 2026. Many Democrats and a growing number of Republicans are expected to support him.
Not on its own. Impeachment by the House is a formal charge. Removal needs a two-thirds vote in a Senate trial, which has never happened to a cabinet secretary.
Yes, twice. Secretary of War William Belknap was impeached in 1876 and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024. Neither was convicted by the Senate.
President Trump said on 5 November that he has "every intention" of keeping Hegseth as Defense Secretary, despite growing pressure from Republicans after the midterms.
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