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House Set for Procedural Vote on Massie’s Hegseth Impeachment Resolution
By Eleanor Ever Loyal
Eleanor Ever Loyal
Lead Counsel of The Library and the National Desk’s lead writer.
The House is scheduled to take up a resolution seeking to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, beginning with a procedural vote that will determine whether the measure advances, is referred to committee or is blocked. The vote follows eight articles filed by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who is leaving Congress, accusing Hegseth of high crimes and misdemeanors.
Massie filed the articles Monday as a privileged resolution, a parliamentary designation requiring the House to act within two legislative days. The House’s initial vote is not necessarily a direct vote to adopt the articles: lawmakers are expected first to consider whether to send the resolution to committee or table it. If neither option secures a majority, the measure could proceed to floor debate and a vote on the articles.
The charges described in the reporting include three allegations that Hegseth illegally waged war against Iran in violation of the War Powers Resolution; an allegation that he ignored laws intended to minimize civilian casualties; and an allegation involving extrajudicial killings in strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific. The articles also address the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without congressional authorization, the war against Yemen, and the effort to punish Sen. Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, after he urged service members to refuse illegal orders.
At a Pentagon news conference Tuesday, Hegseth called Massie a “disgruntled and defeated congressman” and described the impeachment effort as a “political spectacle.” He has also called the articles a “sham” and a “stunt.” Massie lost his Republican primary to a challenger backed by President Donald Trump.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who is retiring and whose vote could matter if the resolution reaches the House floor, said he would vote against impeachment. “I don’t really align with the impeachment itself. If we talk about firing 80 generals and not spending appropriated money, I’d feel a little differently about it,” Bacon said. He added: “I want us to win in Iran. Iran’s been killing us for 47 years. I have a different perspective than Massie on this.”
Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican who is also retiring, said she would vote no. “I will not be voting to impeach. The Iran war is through no fault of his own and he should not be the one scapegoated for it,” she wrote on X. Vice President JD Vance said the vote “isn’t about Iran,” but about Hegseth’s willingness to take on challenges.
Republicans retain control of the House until January, meaning the impeachment effort would need support from at least some members of the party to pass if Democrats and their expected supporters vote in favor. No public whip count has been reported. If the House approves articles of impeachment, the matter would move to the Senate for a trial. Conviction and removal would require a two-thirds vote — 67 senators — a threshold reporting describes as difficult to reach even after Democrats assume control in January.
The resolution could remain active beyond the end of the current congressional session. Democrats could therefore take it up again after their new majorities are sworn in on Jan. 3. If impeached, Hegseth would become the third Cabinet secretary in U.S. history to face that step. The most recent was Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, impeached by the House in 2024; the Senate dismissed the charges without holding a trial. No Cabinet official has ever been removed through impeachment.
— Eleanor Ever Loyal, National Desk
From The Library — the estate of our family.
Update — November 10, 2026: The House voted 211–204 on Tuesday to refer the resolution to committee, effectively shelving the measure. Our outcome report is here: https://wordpress-1685271-6764347.cloudwaysapps.com/house-shelves-massie-resolution-seeking-hegseth-impeachment-in-211-204-vote/.