Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said Monday he’ll reintroduce articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when Congress resumes ― if Hegseth is still on the job.
Massie’s resolution last month included charges that Hegseth waged war against Iran without congressional approval while facing no imminent threat, and that he flouted laws to limit civilian casualties. Massie also alleged the secretary launched unauthorized lethal strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats.
Massie, a Trump-opposing lame-duck congressman who lost his primary, amplified his desire to oust Hegseth on X Monday. He appeared to recreate an exchange between him and a journalist.
Reporter:
Will you reintroduce articles of impeachment against SecDef Hegseth when Congress returns to DC?
Me:
If he’s still SecDef.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) October 26, 2026
The GOP lawmaker’s post on X reads: “Reporter: Will you reintroduce articles of impeachment against SecDef Hegseth when Congress returns to DC?
“Me: If he’s still SecDef.”
A groundswell of lawmakers, especially Democrats, want Hegseth to depart. Democrats have been “aligning to call for the defense secretary’s ouster or resignation,” Semafor reported earlier this month. House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that Democrats will run Hegseth “out of town” if President Donald Trump doesn’t act first. The Democrats are likely to retake the House in November.
The House will probably vote on a resolution for Hegseth’s impeachment soon after the election.
“I give it better than a 50% chance of passing,” Massie said, per Roll Call. “Will all the Democrats vote for it? I think the answer to that is yes. And then the second question is, do I get a handful of Republicans? And I think they’re probably more inclined in the lame-duck session to vote for it than they were before their campaigns were over.”
A report emerged this week that Hegseth may try to avoid impeachment by “angling” for Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to appoint him to her Senate seat, assuming she wins the governorship. The Pentagon called the article “beltway gossip.”
Pete Hegseth’s defense will likely be tested by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and other proponents who want to impeach the Cabinet member after the midterm election.
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