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Massie Could Force a House Vote on Impeaching Hegseth When Congress Returns Nov. 9

Rep. Thomas Massie says he will press his eight-article impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when lawmakers return Nov. 9, setting up a vote in the lame-duck House that Republicans can still move to table.

By admin Nov. 4, 2026 · 7:42 PM ET 2 min read

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U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, could force the House of Representatives to vote on articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as early as Nov. 9, when lawmakers return from the midterm elections, according to reporting by USA TODAY carried by the Louisville Courier Journal on Nov. 4.

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Massie launched the eight impeachment articles on Sept. 15. The 34-page resolution states: “Secretary Hegseth abused the powers entrusted to him as Secretary of Defense by subordinating the constitutional limits on the use of military force and the laws governing the conduct of hostilities to his own policy objectives.”

What the resolution charges

Massie says Hegseth violated three provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973. According to Knox News, those provisions cover starting the war in Iran without a declaration of war, continuing the war after Congress ordered the removal of U.S. forces, and continuing the war after the 60-day termination period and any 30-day withdrawal period expired.

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The Courier Journal reports that Massie also accused Hegseth of seizing Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro without constitutional authority and of killing suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean without judicial authorization. Knox News reports that Massie further charged Hegseth with ignoring laws aimed at minimizing civilian deaths and with suppressing free speech, including a threat to reduce the military pension of Sen. Mark Kelly after Kelly and five other Democrats released a video urging service members to remember their duty to refuse unlawful orders. Kelly filed a lawsuit arguing that the punishment violated his First Amendment right to free speech, according to Knox News.

What happens next

A spokesperson for Massie’s team did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to the Courier Journal. No vote on the articles has taken place.

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The timing matters because Massie lost the primary for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District seat, the Courier Journal reports, and he has only the lame-duck session of Congress to pursue the resolution. Republicans still hold the majority in the House and Senate until the 120th Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, Knox News reports, and the Republican majority could block the resolution by voting to table it.

Reporting based on coverage by the Louisville Courier Journal, USA TODAY and Knox News.

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