Massie Moves to Impeach Hegseth
PHOTO CAPTION: Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sept. 15, 2026. Massie’s resolution primarily challenges the administration’s conduct of the war with Iran and was introduced as a privileged measure requiring House action within two legislative days. (U.S. Congress/House Creative Services)
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, accusing him of exceeding his authority during the ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran and in several other military operations.
The move puts a Republican lawmaker directly against one of President Donald Trump’s most prominent Cabinet officials and could force members of the House to take a position on Hegseth within days.
Massie introduced the impeachment resolution as a privileged measure, a procedural designation requiring the House to address it within two legislative days. Republican leaders could move to table the resolution rather than allow a direct vote on impeachment, and the effort is considered unlikely to succeed in the Republican-controlled House.
But the maneuver could still force a politically significant vote over congressional war powers and the conduct of U.S. military operations.
Massie’s first three articles center on the war with Iran.
He alleges that Hegseth participated in initiating and continuing hostilities without a declaration of war or specific authorization from Congress and argues that the administration has continued military operations beyond the time limits established by the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
“Congress must not turn a blind eye to Secretary Hegseth’s unconstitutional and illegal actions,” Massie said while announcing the effort.
The allegations are Massie’s interpretation of the law and have not been established by a court.
The War Powers Resolution generally requires a president to notify Congress after introducing U.S. forces into hostilities and sets a 60-day period for military involvement without congressional authorization, followed under certain circumstances by a 30-day withdrawal period.
Massie has been one of the most outspoken Republican critics of the Iran conflict and has previously sided with Democrats and other lawmakers seeking to restrict the executive branch’s ability to continue military operations without congressional approval.
His impeachment resolution goes beyond Iran.
Other articles accuse Hegseth of failing to adequately protect civilians during military operations, overseeing lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers, retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly over comments involving potentially unlawful military orders, participating in the U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and overseeing military action in Yemen without congressional authorization.
Those accusations remain allegations contained in Massie’s impeachment effort.
The Pentagon pushed back on the broader attack against Hegseth.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said the department remains unified behind Hegseth and would continue focusing on American troops and U.S. interests.
Massie’s move is particularly unusual because the challenge is coming from inside Hegseth’s own party.
The Kentucky Republican has repeatedly broken with Trump and Republican leadership over war powers and foreign policy. Massie also lost his Republican primary earlier this year to Trump-backed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein and will leave Congress after his current term.
Hegseth had already faced impeachment efforts from Democrats before Massie’s resolution. Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar previously introduced articles against him, and another Democratic impeachment resolution introduced earlier this year also included allegations involving the Iran conflict.
Massie’s resolution is different because it comes from a Republican — and because its privileged status means House leadership cannot simply leave it sitting indefinitely in committee.
The House is expected to deal with the measure within the next two legislative days, although lawmakers could vote to table it without ever holding a direct vote on whether Hegseth should be impeached.
(Source: OAF Nation)
