Pete Hegseth escapes impeachment as Dems threaten to try again in next Congress
WASHINGTON — The House voted to scrap impeachment articles against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for carrying out military operations without congressional approval.The vote was 211-204 to send the articles of impeachment to the House Judiciary Committee — effectively killing the resolution on the floor.Libertarian-leaning Rep.
Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) had introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth, who took the unprecedented step as the Pentagon honcho of campaigning against his reelection bid earlier this year.Most of the articles revolved around alleged violations of the War Powers Act, including three over the military operations in Iran, one over the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, and one for carrying out military attacks against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
Massie’s impeachment articles also accused Hegseth of flouting laws aimed at minimizing civilian casualties, one for free speech violations against Sen.Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and one for “extrajudicial killings” on alleged drug boats.Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed confidence that Republicans had the support needed to quash the impeachment effort.
President Trump and the White House fiercely defended Hegseth.In September, GOP leadership is believed to have adjourned early to avoid having to take a vote on Massie’s impeachment effort.Hegseth struck a defiant tone earlier Tuesday.“I stand behind every one of these operations.
I was proud to execute them, and I would do it again tomorrow,” he declared to reporters in a press conference on Tuesday.“For the first time in American history, a cabinet secretary overseeing America’s military is being attacked not for losing conflicts with our enemies, but for winning them,” he added.
“Condemned not for defeat, but for military victory.The disgruntled congressman even admitted this.”But the biggest risk Hegseth faces is the next Congress, when Democrats will have their large...