The House voted 211-204 on Nov. 10 to refer the resolution to the House Judiciary Committee, effectively blocking the impeachment attempt for the time being [3][4]. Eleven Democrats and seven Republicans did not vote, and Massie was the lone Republican who voted against referring his own resolution [5]. Following the vote, the impeachment resolution will be sent to committee [3].
To impeach a civil officer, a simple majority vote in the House is required, while a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate would be needed to convict [3]. Under the Constitution, the House may impeach a civil officer with a simple majority, and the Senate then holds a trial with a two-thirds threshold for conviction [6].
Articles Cite Conduct in Office
The articles accuse Hegseth of engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, violating three provisions of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 [7]. Massie said: "By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable" [8]. The articles also accuse Hegseth of killing hundreds of civilians in boat strikes against suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean, Politico reported [2].
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in an interview with ABC News's "This Week" on Sunday that he is "a hard yes" on the impeachment resolution, adding that "the so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran" [9][10].
At a Pentagon press conference on Nov. 10, Hegseth said: "None of these are high crimes or misdemeanors. They're partisan policy disagreements from people who want to politicize our military" [11]. He described the impeachment effort as a "political spectacle" and a "personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment" [11].
Hegseth Responds to Filing
"In the 250 years of our American republic, no Secretary of War or Secretary of Defense has ever been impeached for carrying out lawful military operations," Hegseth told reporters [12].
Both statements were released to media outlets on Nov. 10, 2026. Hegseth called the effort a "farce" and "sabotage" in his first news briefing from the Pentagon in six months [4].
Trump has previously said he is not considering replacing Hegseth, telling reporters: "No, I think he's doing a very good job" [13].
Process and Precedent
Under the Constitution, the House may impeach a civil officer with a simple majority; the Senate then holds a trial with a two-thirds threshold for conviction, according to congressional procedures [3]. The power of impeachment was given to the House because it was to be the body closest to the people, and the creators of the Constitution believed that impeachment would need to be used quite often and that nothing else in the Constitution would be more important for preserving the republic by holding in check the executive and judicial branches [6].
Congress shares foreign policy and national defense responsibilities with the president, though historically it generally has submitted to presidential leadership in this area. The House vote to refer Massie's resolution to the Judiciary Committee means the articles will undergo further review before any potential floor action.
What Happens Next
With the resolution now before the House Judiciary Committee, the panel will determine whether to advance the articles of impeachment or allow them to languish. Democratic leaders have signaled that they intend to pursue aggressive oversight of the Pentagon when they take control of the House Armed Services Committee in January.
Massie has indicated he intends to continue pressing the case against Hegseth, though the referral effectively blocks an immediate floor vote on the formal charges. The outcome of the committee process will likely shape whether the impeachment effort gains meaningful traction in the 120th Congress.
References
- Massie Forces House Vote This Week on Impeaching Pete Hegseth.. https://thenationalpulse.com/2026/11/09/massie-forces-house-vote-this-week-on-impeaching-pete-hegseth/
- Massie files articles of impeachment against Hegseth. https://justthenews.com/government/congress/massie-files-articles-impeachment-against-hegseth?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators
- House Rejects Rep. Massie’s Impeachment Effort Targeting Hegseth. https://theepochtimes.com/us/house-rejects-rep-massies-impeachment-effort-targeting-hegseth-6123135
- US House blocks bid to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, for now. https://bbc.com/news/articles/cxly4y5jzl0qo
- House Blocks Massie Effort to Impeach Hegseth. https://news.antiwar.com/2026/11/10/house-blocks-massie-effort-to-impeach-hegseth/
- Daybreak : undoing the imperial presidency and forming a more perfect union. Swanson, David, 1969 December 1
- Rep. Massie Files Articles of Impeachment Against Hegseth. https://theepochtimes.com/us/rep-massie-files-articles-of-impeachment-against-hegseth-6122649
- Republican congressman to force impeachment vote on Defence Secretary Hegseth. https://bbc.com/news/articles/cwr5y58jjp8ro
- Jeffries Says He’s a ‘Hard Yes’ on Voting to Impeach Hegseth. https://theepochtimes.com/us/jeffries-says-hes-a-hard-yes-on-voting-to-impeach-hegseth-6122200
- Jeffries backs impeachment of Hegseth, predicts strong Democratic support. https://justthenews.com/government/congress/jeffries-backs-impeachment-hegseth-predicts-strong-democratic-support?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators
- Hegseth Calls Impeachment Effort Against Him ‘Political Spectacle’. https://theepochtimes.com/us/hegseth-calls-impeachment-effort-against-him-political-spectacle-6123078
- Hegseth Says Impeachment Push Is About ‘Policy Disagreements,’ Not High Crimes. https://www.ntd.com/hegseth-says-impeachment-push-is-about-policy-disagreements-not-high-crimes_1184441.html
- Trump Says He’s Not Considering Replacing Hegseth. https://theepochtimes.com/us/trump-says-hes-not-considering-replacing-hegseth-6118299
- House GOP blocks effort to hold Hegseth impeachment vote. https://www.cnn.com/2026/11/10/politics/live-news/hegseth-impeachment-congress
- US Republicans derail bid to impeach Pentagon chief. https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/us-house-votes-derail-impeachment-defense-secretary-hegseth
- ‘Vigorous Oversight’ Coming to Pentagon, Top House Armed Services Democrat Says. https://theepochtimes.com/us/vigorous-oversight-coming-to-pentagon-top-house-armed-services-democrat-says-6118508
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