Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump‘s defense secretary and former Fox News host, appears to have survived an impeachment effort.
The House voted 211 to 204 to refer the impeachment resolution to committee, essentially preventing it from coming to the floor. Absences impacted the ultimate outcome.
Although Democrats overwhelmingly support Hegseth’s impeachment, the resolution was brought by a Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who has long railed against the Trump administration’s conduct of the Iran war without congressional authorization. But his impeachment articles cover other areas as well, including the Pentagon ordered strikes on boats carrying suspected drug traffickers and Hegseth’s effort to retaliate against Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), after he appeared in a video reminding service members that they should not follow unlawful military orders.
As the articles of impeachment were read on Tuesday, the chamber was largely empty. Massie listened and one Democrat sat in the front row, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN).
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When a voice vote was held on a motion to refer the impeachment resolution to committee, all but killing it, Massie shouted, “No.” As the vote proceeded, he largely remained alone reading from his phone.
Hegseth held a press conference earlier on Tuesday, defending his tenure and calling the impeachment effort “sabotage.” He said that it was extraordinary action for what he considered a policy disagreement. “It tells them that a single rogue legislator, loaded with personal animus toward the president, can veto national security decisions made by the duly elected commander in chief,” he said.
Massie’s resolution included eight articles of impeachment, including waging war without authorization of Congress; ignoring laws to minimize civilian casualties; extrajudicial killings with the lethal targeting of suspected drug traffickers; kidnapping of a foreign leader when Nicolás Maduro was seized in Venezuela; unlawful war in Yemen; and suppressing free speech. The latter was tied to an effort to “retaliate against and intimidate” Kelly for his participation in the video.
Even if the impeachment articles passed, it would still take a 2/3 vote of the Senate to ultimately remove Hegseth.
Although some GOP members have expressed criticisms of Hegseth, only Massie voted against the resolution, joining all Democrats.
The situation will change significantly when Democrats take control of Congress in January, with a majority of more than 255 votes to Republicans, expected to be in the range of 175 and 180 seats.