House Republicans block impeachment vote against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth
House Republicans blocked an impeachment resolution against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, while Democrats vowed to revive the effort in the new Congress.
House Republicans blocked an immediate floor vote on articles of impeachment against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to refer the measure introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky to the Judiciary Committee, effectively stalling the effort for the remainder of the current session. According to the reporting, the vote passed 211-204.
Massie's resolution accused Hegseth of high crimes and misdemeanors, citing multiple military actions and policies. The articles alleged that Hegseth launched the Iran conflict without congressional authorization, continued it after Congress passed a withdrawal resolution, and exceeded statutory limits for unauthorized military action. Additional allegations covered a strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran, extrajudicial killings in Caribbean and Pacific boat strikes, the operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a bombing campaign in Yemen, and retaliation against Sen. Mark Kelly after Kelly stated that service members could refuse unlawful orders.
Media additions
Party-line defense and political fallout
House Speaker Mike Johnson called the impeachment a political gambit and predicted Republicans would defeat it. Before the vote, Hegseth held a press briefing at the Pentagon, dismissing the effort as a farce and a political spectacle.
"In the 250 years of our American republic, no secretary of war or secretary of Defense has ever been impeached for carrying out lawful military operations."
Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, via Los Angeles Times
Hegseth characterized the charges as policy disagreements rather than impeachable offenses. President Donald Trump celebrated the outcome on Truth Social, calling it the exoneration of a great American patriot and labeling Massie a major loser. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell declared total victory on social media.
| Vote Detail | Count |
|---|---|
| Vote to refer to Judiciary Committee | 211-204 |
| Republicans opposing referral | 1 (Massie) |
| Democrats not voting | 11 |
| Republicans not voting | 7 |
Democratic response and future prospects
Democrats, who won majorities in the midterm elections, have vowed to revive the effort. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York stated in a PBS interview that he was a hard yes on the resolution.
"He's abused his power. He's undermined our national security. And Pete Hegseth is the architect of this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has made our country less safe and made life more expensive for the American people."
Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader, via The Guardian
Rep. Ro Khanna stated at a rally that voters want the war ended, beginning with impeaching Hegseth and convicting him in the Senate. Reps. Dave Min and Mike Levin also backed impeachment, with Min arguing that Hegseth should face criminal investigations.
Even with a Democratic-controlled House expected when the new Congress convenes, a conviction in the Senate would require a two-thirds majority. Sen. Thom Tillis previously called for Trump to fire Hegseth, citing inept management and culture-war distractions, following Hegseth's confirmation in early 2025.
Massie's lone stand
Massie, who lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger and leaves office in January, defended the articles of reporting. He told reporters that the push was not about competence:
"We're not impeaching him for being bad at his job. In fact, he was very effective at killing schoolchildren in Iran... The argument here is that he's broken laws and he's violated the Constitution."
Thomas Massie, U.S. Representative, via news.antiwar.com
Other Republicans rejected the framing. Rep. Warren Davidson opposed impeachment, stating it was an effort to shift blame onto Hegseth for congressional failures and presidential decisions.
What happens next
- January 3, 2027: The new Congress is sworn in, with Democrats holding majorities in both the House and Senate. Jeffries is expected to become House speaker.
- House Judiciary Committee: The Republican majority can bottle up the current articles through the end of the current session.
- Iran war trajectory: Debates continue within the administration over military options versus diplomacy.
