Massie forces Hegseth impeachment vote by Wednesday; Trump calls him ‘sick’
Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth on the House floor on Monday, starting a clock that compels a vote within two legislative days, by Wednesday. “By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorisation, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law,” the Kentucky Republican said. Donald Trump called him “a stone cold loser” and “sick”, insisting the defence secretary “won two wars”. Mike Johnson warned impeachment during hostilities “would be a terrible, terrible look”.
The 34-page resolution devotes three articles to waging war without authorisation and others to the strike on an Iranian school, the Caribbean boat strikes, the capture of Nicolás Maduro and the treatment of Senator Mark Kelly; it says Mr Hegseth “will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office”. Mr Massie, first filing in September, framed it as “a much gentler version of what’s coming when the Democrats assume control” in January: “If the Senate doesn’t deal with this before the end of this Senate, they’re turning it over to a Democrat Senate.” With the House split 218–214 and Hakeem Jeffries “a hard yes”, a handful of Republicans decide it: James Comer says “no one’s happy about Iran”, French Hill is undecided and Don Bacon is “wrestling” with it. Mr Trump, appearing in the briefing room with the UFC’s Dana White, said “the soldiers … they love Pete Hegseth” and asked why nobody had “gone after all these other people that ran wars and lost”. Mr Hegseth called the effort a “sham” and holds his first news conference since May on Tuesday. Watch the whip count.