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Republican Thomas Massie will force impeachment vote on Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- Republican Congressman Thomas Massie plans to force a House vote this week to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of violating the Constitution by engaging in hostilities in Iran without congressional authorization for over 90 days.
- Massie's impeachment effort is expected to fail as Republicans retain control of Congress until January, but he aims to pressure President Trump to fire Hegseth before Democrats can initiate their own impeachment process.
- Hegseth dismissed the impeachment threat and plans to hold a news conference addressing the issue, showing no concern over the resolution.
- Impeachment of a cabinet secretary is rare and requires approval by both the House and Senate; historically, no cabinet member has been removed through this process.
- Massie, who lost re-election, may have Democratic support but needs backing from fellow Republicans; House Speaker Mike Johnson must schedule a vote on the resolution within two days.
