Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie filed a 34‑page impeachment resolution on the House floor Monday, seeking a vote on eight articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Massie argues the secretary has breached the War Powers Resolution by continuing unauthorized military operations in Iran.
Impeachment articles
The resolution accuses Hegseth of:
- Waging war in Iran without a declaration of war, statutory authorization, or imminent threat.
- Defying Congress’s directive to withdraw U.S. forces after both chambers passed H. Con. Res. 86.
- Ignoring the 60‑day termination period and any subsequent 30‑day withdrawal window required by the War Powers Resolution.
- Neglecting laws designed to minimize civilian casualties.
- Authorizing extrajudicial killings of suspected drug traffickers, resulting in at least 243 deaths.
- Using Department of Defense authority to intimidate Senator Mark Kelly for questioning unlawful orders.
- Directing an operation to seize Venezuelan leaders Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores without legal authority.
- Launching Operation ROUGH RIDER in Yemen without congressional approval.
Responses
Secretary Hegseth defended the actions, stating, “If you want to take issue with what we did in Epic Fury or Rough Rider or nabbing Nicolás Maduro, you’re taking issue with the troops and what they accomplished, which is historic.” He announced a Pentagon news conference for Tuesday, his first in over 180 days.
President Donald J. Trump reiterated his support for Hegseth on 60 Minutes, saying he still has confidence in the secretary.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expects Democratic members to back the impeachment effort strongly. Massie framed the move as a “gentler version” of what he anticipates when Democrats control the House and Senate next year, urging President Trump to replace Hegseth while a Senate confirmation is still possible.
Next steps
Because the resolution is privileged, Speaker Mike Johnson has two legislative days to schedule a vote. A simple majority would advance the articles to the Senate, where a two‑thirds supermajority is required for conviction and removal—a threshold that makes removal unlikely without significant bipartisan defections.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.
