Massie could force a House vote to impeach Hegseth as soon as next week

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could face a House impeachment vote as soon as next week. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, may force a floor vote on impeachment articles once lawmakers return from the midterm recess on Nov. 9 ². Massie has called it a "week one" issue for the lame-duck session, the stretch between the election and the new Congress ⁵.

The timing matters. Democrats won control of Congress on Tuesday, but they do not take over until January ¹. That means the current House, still run by Republicans, would decide whether to impeach the Pentagon chief. To impeach someone is to bring formal charges, the House's version of an indictment.

On tapeCNN · Nov 5

▶11:23

What the charges say

Massie first presented eight articles of impeachment in a House floor speech on Sept. 15 ². His 34-page resolution says that Hegseth abused the powers entrusted to him as secretary of defense ². These are accusations. No court or Congress has ruled on them.

The first three articles say Hegseth broke the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the law that limits how long a president can keep troops in combat without Congress's approval, by waging the Iran war ⁷. The rest accuse him of ignoring laws meant to limit civilian deaths, of killings in anti-drug operations, of retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly, of directing the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without legal authority, and of military operations in Yemen without approval from Congress ⁷. The strikes on suspected drug boats have killed at least 240 people, Newsweek reported ⁴.

From Channel GOPRepublican senator: House is lost, Trump must own itThom Tillis · 265 plays · captioned, with the source named

He is abusing the power of his office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders

House Democrats filed their own six-article impeachment resolution against Hegseth in April ⁷. Massie's vote was put off when Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House home early for the pre-election campaign break ⁷. Massie lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger, so the lame-duck session is his last chance to press the case ⁵.

How the vote would work

Massie plans to bring the resolution as a "question of the privileges of the House," a rule that lets any member force quick action ⁵. If the House parliamentarian, its nonpartisan rules expert, agrees it qualifies, the speaker has up to two legislative days to schedule a vote ⁵. Leaders could instead hold a vote to "table" it, which would set it aside ⁵.

Massie told Roll Call he gives the resolution "better than a 50 percent chance of passing" ⁵. He expects every Democrat to vote yes and hopes for "a handful of Republicans" ⁵. Absences could swing the result in a closely divided House, especially if members who lost reelection skip votes ⁵. Whether the Senate would then convict Hegseth is a separate question ⁵.

Some Democrats have already committed. "When the House votes on impeachment, I'm voting to impeach him," Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia wrote on X ⁴. Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado vowed to be "relentless night and day to get him out of the Pentagon" ¹.

I'm going after Pete Hegseth

Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said he thinks Hegseth may be easier to impeach than the president ⁶. Smith is expected to chair that committee in January. He plans to investigate the Iran war, the removal of senior officers and the use of a commercial messaging app for a sensitive operation ¹.

There are Republicans who would support impeaching Hegseth who might not support doing it to Trump.

The Republican side

Hegseth's trouble is not coming only from Democrats. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said "Pete Hegseth has a reckoning" after the election ¹. Massie had earlier written that "Trump should fire Hegseth to avoid Hegseth's impeachment. It's the honorable thing to do." ⁷

Vice President JD Vance wrote on social media Wednesday that "The reason we lost is the war" ¹. CBS News reported that President Trump has been asking advisers whether Hegseth should stay, and one source said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is being considered as a replacement ³. Other sources told CBS no decision has been made ³.

In public, Trump stood by his defense secretary. Asked Wednesday whether he was thinking about replacing Hegseth, he said, "No, I think he's doing a very good job" ³. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the president "has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth" ³.

100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump's term in office.

History and what comes next

The House has voted to impeach a cabinet member only twice: War Secretary William Belknap in 1876 and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 ⁵. Belknap quit suddenly, which likely helped him win acquittal in the Senate ⁵. In the Mayorkas case, the House impeached him by a 214-213 vote, and the Senate dismissed the charges without a trial ⁵.

That matters because a similar result is possible here. Even if the House impeaches Hegseth next week, a trial would fall to a Senate still under Republican control until January ¹. The pattern is clear, though. A defense secretary who began the year with his party in charge of Congress may now face charges from his own side before Democrats take the gavels.

The Record

1. Sep 15, 2026Rep. Thomas Massie presents eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on the House floor ²
2. Oct 26, 2026Massie vows a "week one" lame-duck vote to impeach Hegseth after the House was sent home early for the campaign break ⁵⁷
3. Nov 2, 2026Rep. Adam Smith, the top Armed Services Democrat, tells TIME some Republicans may back impeaching Hegseth ⁶
4. Nov 4, 2026Trump says Hegseth is doing "a very good job" as CBS reports he is privately asking advisers whether Hegseth should stay ³
5. Nov 9, 2026House scheduled to return from midterm recess, when Massie could force his vote ²

Free to reprint Republish this story on your site or in your newsletter

Any site, blog or newsletter may run this story free of charge. Keep the credit line and its link to the original, do not sell it, and edit only for length or house style (the full terms). Photos carry their own licenses, noted under each photo on this page, so use the text alone unless a credit says otherwise.

<h2>Massie could force a House vote to impeach Hegseth as soon as next week</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/massie-could-force-a-house-vote-to-impeach-hegseth-as-soon-as-next-week">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 5, 2026.</em></p> <p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could face a House impeachment vote as soon as next week. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, may force a floor vote on impeachment articles once lawmakers return from the midterm recess on Nov. 9 . Massie has called it a &quot;week one&quot; issue for the lame-duck session, the stretch between the election and the new Congress .</p> <p>The timing matters. Democrats won control of Congress on Tuesday, but they do not take over until January . That means the current House, still run by Republicans, would decide whether to impeach the Pentagon chief. To impeach someone is to bring formal charges, the House&#39;s version of an indictment.</p> <h2>What the charges say</h2> <p>Massie first presented eight articles of impeachment in a House floor speech on Sept. 15 . His 34-page resolution says that Hegseth abused the powers entrusted to him as secretary of defense . These are accusations. No court or Congress has ruled on them.</p> <p>The first three articles say Hegseth broke the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the law that limits how long a president can keep troops in combat without Congress&#39;s approval, by waging the Iran war . The rest accuse him of ignoring laws meant to limit civilian deaths, of killings in anti-drug operations, of retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly, of directing the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without legal authority, and of military operations in Yemen without approval from Congress . The strikes on suspected drug boats have killed at least 240 people, Newsweek reported .</p> <blockquote><p>He is abusing the power of his office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders</p><p>&mdash; Thomas Massie, U.S. representative, R-Ky.</p></blockquote> <p>House Democrats filed their own six-article impeachment resolution against Hegseth in April . Massie&#39;s vote was put off when Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House home early for the pre-election campaign break . Massie lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger, so the lame-duck session is his last chance to press the case .</p> <h2>How the vote would work</h2> <p>Massie plans to bring the resolution as a &quot;question of the privileges of the House,&quot; a rule that lets any member force quick action . If the House parliamentarian, its nonpartisan rules expert, agrees it qualifies, the speaker has up to two legislative days to schedule a vote . Leaders could instead hold a vote to &quot;table&quot; it, which would set it aside .</p> <p>Massie told Roll Call he gives the resolution &quot;better than a 50 percent chance of passing&quot; . He expects every Democrat to vote yes and hopes for &quot;a handful of Republicans&quot; . Absences could swing the result in a closely divided House, especially if members who lost reelection skip votes . Whether the Senate would then convict Hegseth is a separate question .</p> <p>Some Democrats have already committed. &quot;When the House votes on impeachment, I&#39;m voting to impeach him,&quot; Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia wrote on X . Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado vowed to be &quot;relentless night and day to get him out of the Pentagon&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>I&#39;m going after Pete Hegseth</p><p>&mdash; Jason Crow, U.S. representative, D-Colo.</p></blockquote> <p>Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said he thinks Hegseth may be easier to impeach than the president . Smith is expected to chair that committee in January. He plans to investigate the Iran war, the removal of senior officers and the use of a commercial messaging app for a sensitive operation .</p> <blockquote><p>There are Republicans who would support impeaching Hegseth who might not support doing it to Trump.</p><p>&mdash; Adam Smith, Top Democrat on House Armed Services Committee, D-Wash.</p></blockquote> <h2>The Republican side</h2> <p>Hegseth&#39;s trouble is not coming only from Democrats. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said &quot;Pete Hegseth has a reckoning&quot; after the election . Massie had earlier written that &quot;Trump should fire Hegseth to avoid Hegseth&#39;s impeachment. It&#39;s the honorable thing to do.&quot;</p> <p>Vice President JD Vance wrote on social media Wednesday that &quot;The reason we lost is the war&quot; . CBS News reported that President Trump has been asking advisers whether Hegseth should stay, and one source said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is being considered as a replacement . Other sources told CBS no decision has been made .</p> <p>In public, Trump stood by his defense secretary. Asked Wednesday whether he was thinking about replacing Hegseth, he said, &quot;No, I think he&#39;s doing a very good job&quot; . White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the president &quot;has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump&#39;s term in office.</p><p>&mdash; Sean Parnell, Pentagon spokesperson</p></blockquote> <h2>History and what comes next</h2> <p>The House has voted to impeach a cabinet member only twice: War Secretary William Belknap in 1876 and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 . Belknap quit suddenly, which likely helped him win acquittal in the Senate . In the Mayorkas case, the House impeached him by a 214-213 vote, and the Senate dismissed the charges without a trial .</p> <p>That matters because a similar result is possible here. Even if the House impeaches Hegseth next week, a trial would fall to a Senate still under Republican control until January . The pattern is clear, though. A defense secretary who began the year with his party in charge of Congress may now face charges from his own side before Democrats take the gavels.</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/massie-could-force-a-house-vote-to-impeach-hegseth-as-soon-as-next-week">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/massie-could-force-a-house-vote-to-impeach-hegseth-as-soon-as-next-week.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

Copy the HTML Paste it into your editor's HTML view. The one-pixel image at the end tells our newsroom the story ran; it stores no reader data.

Sources

1. USA Today (via Yahoo News), “What's next for Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth as Democrats eye return to power” (2026-11-04). yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/whats-next-pentagon-chief-p
2. Louisville Courier Journal (via Yahoo News), “Massie could soon force House impeachment vote against Pete Hegseth” (2026-11-04). yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/massie-could-soon-force-hou
3. CBS News (via WKMG ClickOrlando), “Trump considers Ron DeSantis to replace Pete Hegseth at Pentagon, CBS News source says” (2026-11-04). clickorlando.com/news/florida/2026/11/04/trump-considers-ron
4. Newsweek, “Pete Hegseth Impeachment Increasingly Likely as Trump Rules Out Firing” (2026-11-04). newsweek.com/pete-hegseth-impeachment-increasingly-likely-as
5. Roll Call, “Massie vows 'week one' vote in lame duck to impeach Hegseth” (2026-10-26). rollcall.com/2026/10/26/massie-vows-week-one-vote-in-lame-du
6. TIME, “Why a Top House Democrat Now Wants to Impeach Trump and Hegseth” (2026-11-02). time.com/article/2026/11/02/top-house-armed-services-democra
7. ABC News 4 (Sinclair), “Massie says he will reintroduce impeachment articles against Hegseth after midterms” (2026-10-26). abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/massie-says-he-will-reintrodu

Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.