Republican lawmaker forces House vote to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth over Iran war powers

Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a longtime critic of his party's foreign policy, read a 34-page impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the House floor. Massie argues that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973 by continuing military action against Iran without congressional approval, even after Congress attempted to halt US involvement. Massie had lost his primary election earlier this year after President Trump endorsed his opponent.

The eight articles of impeachment address various concerns beyond the Iran conflict alone. The first three articles focus on war powers violations; a fourth article alleges disregard for rules protecting civilians during operations; a fifth article alleges unlawful killings during counternarcotics missions resulting in hundreds of deaths; a sixth article accuses Hegseth of retaliating against Senator Mark Kelly for criticising military actions; a seventh article alleges an unauthorised mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores; and an eighth article concerns operations in Yemen.

By using a procedural mechanism that bypasses party leadership, Massie forced a floor vote within two legislative days, placing Republicans in a difficult position ahead of the midterm elections. The prolonged conflict with Iran has raised questions about both the administration's military strategy and its economic consequences for American consumers.