House Blocks Massie's Push to Impeach Hegseth in 211-204 Vote
House Republicans on Tuesday blocked an effort to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, handing President Donald Trump a major win days after the party's midterm losses.
Lawmakers voted 211-204 to send Rep. Thomas Massie's eight articles of impeachment to the House Judiciary Committee, stopping an immediate floor vote on Hegseth's removal. Another 18 members did not vote.
Massie, of Kentucky, was the only Republican who voted against sending the resolution to committee. Every other Republican who took part backed the move, while all Democrats who voted opposed it.
Although the resolution technically remains alive in committee, the vote effectively ended the immediate push to remove Hegseth.
READ MORE: Speaker Johnson Rips Massie's Push to Impeach Hegseth as a 'Political Gambit'
What Massie Alleged
Massie had filed a privileged resolution, which under House rules must be taken up within two legislative days, forcing leaders to deal with it.
His articles accused Hegseth of abusing his authority and breaking federal law. Several focused on U.S. military operations in Iran and whether they violated congressional war powers.
Others challenged strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Massie also accused Hegseth of retaliating against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly over a video about unlawful military orders.
Hegseth has rejected the allegations, saying the operations were lawful and authorized by Trump.
'It's a Farce'
Hours before the vote, Hegseth delivered a defiant response at a Pentagon news conference, accusing Massie of pursuing a personal political agenda rather than real oversight and calling the effort a "political spectacle."
"It's a farce, and it's a stunt, and everybody knows it," Hegseth said. He argued that disagreements over military policy do not justify impeaching a Cabinet secretary for carrying out the president's orders.
READ MORE: Ocasio-Cortez Says 'All Options' Are on the Table When Asked About Impeaching Trump
Trump celebrated the result on Truth Social. "The Democrats' attempt to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has miserably FAILED!" he wrote, calling it the "EXONERATION of a Great American Patriot." Trump also called Massie a "major LOSER."
At an earlier appearance, Hegseth said the effort was driven by "policy disagreements, not misdemeanors, not treason, not bribery, not the kinds of offenses the founders intended when they wrote the impeachment clause." Vice President JD Vance also rallied to his side. "Has Pete Hegseth committed impeachable crimes? The question is absurd and the answer is: obviously not," Vance wrote on X.
Johnson Holds the Line
Earlier Tuesday, the White House urged lawmakers to support sending the resolution to committee. Speaker Mike Johnson secured the win despite worries that absences after the midterms could let Democrats push the measure forward.
Johnson had blasted the effort before the vote. "Thomas Massie is a disgruntled congressman and the impeachment effort is a political gambit for attention," he told reporters. Some Democrats, meanwhile, voiced frustration after 11 of their own lawmakers failed to show up for the vote.
Even some Republicans who have criticized Hegseth refused to back Massie. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska acknowledged his disagreements with the secretary but said he did not support the impeachment resolution.
The fight may not be over. Democrats take control of the House in January, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is expected to become speaker, has said he is a "hard yes" on impeaching Hegseth. "Pete Hegseth has got to go," Jeffries said.