Impeachment Push Against Hegseth Forces Lame-duck House Vote

President Donald Trump defended Pete Hegseth on Sunday evening as a procedural mechanism in the House of Representatives prepares to force an impeachment vote during the lame-duck session. The move comes as Congress returns to Washington on Monday following the midterm elections, where Democrats secured sweeping victories.

Trump characterized the push to remove the Defense Secretary as a reaction to military success rather than failure. He stated that Hegseth is guilty of winning two wars, referring to operations in Venezuela and Iran. The President called the impeachment effort unfair during a 60 Minutes interview, noting that it is difficult to remove a leader who has achieved those outcomes.

The effort to impeach Hegseth is being driven by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Massie is preparing to reintroduce a privileged resolution containing eight articles of impeachment. A privileged resolution compels the House to take up the measure within two legislative days, bypassing standard committee referrals that often delay bills.

The articles of impeachment charge Hegseth with violating the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Massie argues the Iran war was unlawful from its inception due to a lack of congressional oversight. Other charges allege that Hegseth ignored laws designed to minimize civilian casualties. The resolution also cites the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in January. Massie contends that action was taken without constitutional or legal authority.

This is not the first attempt to force a vote on Hegseth. In September, Massie sought to bring the issue to the floor, but Speaker Mike Johnson recessed the House early to prevent the measure from coming to a vote. Massie stated on Monday that he has heard from some House members who support Hegseth’s effectiveness but will still vote against impeachment because they agree with the war. Massie rejected that logic, asserting that the central question is whether impeachable acts were committed.

Hegseth has pushed back against the threat, describing it as a politically motivated campaign. In a video posted to social media, he compared the effort to the two impeachments of Trump during his first term. Hegseth called the articles of impeachment sham charges and vowed that the strategy of personal destruction would not succeed. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth is fully committed to leading the Department until the end of Trump’s term.

The impeachment push has drawn support from Democrats who expect to control the House starting in January. Hakeem Jeffries, who is widely expected to become the next Speaker, declared he is a hard yes on the resolution. Jeffries accused Hegseth of abusing his power and engineering a costly war in Iran that has raised prices for American consumers. Rep. Adam Smith and Rep. Ro Khanna have also pledged to back Massie’s efforts.

The conflict has created a visible split within the Republican Party over the Iran war. Vice President J.D. Vance stated the day after the election that the war was the reason the party lost. Trump said he did not disagree with that assessment but maintained that he would start the conflict again if given the chance. A midterm exit poll showed that 74% of voters considered the Iran war a crucial or major factor in their decision to vote. The conflict has cost American taxpayers an estimated $47.1 billion, a financial burden that has contributed to rising diesel prices and cost of living concerns.

The timing of the vote creates logistical challenges for the remaining five weeks of the session. Government funding expires on December 11, meaning lawmakers must also reach a deal to avert a shutdown while dealing with the impeachment proceedings. The House must manage these competing priorities in a compressed timeframe.