Live updates: Pete Hegseth defends record after Republican begins impeachment effort

Key Points:

• The House voted 211-204 to refer the impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee, effectively stalling the impeachment effort until at least January when the new Congress convenes.
• President Trump praised Hegseth on social media, calling him a "Great American Patriot" and labeling the failed impeachment attempt as an "exoneration," while criticizing Republican Thomas Massie, the sole GOP member opposing referral to committee.
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed support for impeaching Hegseth, calling him unfit to lead the Defense Department, and some Republican senators, including Thom Tillis and Joni Ernst, showed openness to convicting Hegseth if the impeachment reaches the Senate.
• The impeachment effort against Hegseth is tied to his role in the unpopular US-Israel war with Iran, which many Republicans blame for their midterm election losses; Hegseth has been a central figure in directing military actions in the conflict.
• Hegseth's political future remains uncertain as President Trump faces a dilemma: retaining Hegseth risks backlash over the unpopular war, while firing him could signal acknowledgment of the war's political damage, with the president likely to be the ultimate decision-maker.