Republicans in the US House of Representatives have blocked an attempt to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, handing him a political reprieve ahead of Democrats taking control of Congress next year.
The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday in favour of sending eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee. The procedural move effectively stalled the impeachment effort, with its sponsor, Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, warning that the referral would bring the initiative to a standstill.
Massie had hoped to attract support from Republicans concerned about Hegseth’s leadership and the growing unpopularity of the eight-month-old US war with Iran. However, no other Republican joined his effort.
The impeachment articles accused Hegseth of committing “high crimes and misdemeanors” by allegedly ordering unlawful military operations in Iran and Yemen, authorising attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea and directing the January operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The proposed action also raised constitutional concerns over the Iran conflict, which was never authorised by Congress, the only institution empowered under the US Constitution to declare war.
Democrats had backed the impeachment initiative, but 11 members of the party did not participate in the vote. Had eight additional Democrats opposed the procedural motion, it would have failed, allowing the House to proceed towards a full impeachment vote.
Trump celebrates outcome as Hegseth defends his record
President Donald Trump welcomed the result, declaring on social media that the impeachment effort had “miserably FAILED.”
He praised Hegseth’s handling of Iran, Venezuela and other national security matters, describing him as a patriot who had been vindicated.
The vote came just hours after Hegseth delivered a combative defence of his tenure during a rare Pentagon briefing. Dismissing the impeachment push as a farce, he defended the administration’s military decisions and maintained that his orders to American forces had been lawful.
Speaking about the Iran conflict, Hegseth argued that history would assess the war differently from the prevailing public opinion. He also credited Trump’s leadership, claiming that Iran’s military capabilities had been severely weakened.
Hegseth would have become the first US defence secretary to face impeachment. The last comparable instance involving a civilian head of the American military establishment dates back to 1876, when William Belknap, then serving as secretary of war, was impeached.
Hegseth himself has embraced the title “secretary of war” as part of his effort to reshape the Pentagon’s identity. However, formally changing the Defence Department’s name requires congressional approval.
Iran conflict casts shadow over Republican performance
The political controversy surrounding Hegseth comes amid mounting public dissatisfaction with the war in Iran, which has largely settled into a stalemate centred on control and security of the Strait of Hormuz.
Anger over the conflict contributed to the Democrats’ victory in last week’s midterm elections, giving them control of Congress when the new session begins in January.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey released on Tuesday found that a majority of Americans want the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress to take steps to bring the Iran war to an end.
Vice President JD Vance, who has previously questioned the conflict and linked it to the Republican Party’s electoral setbacks, nevertheless defended Hegseth.
Vance argued that the controversy was not fundamentally about Iran but about Hegseth’s confrontation with the Pentagon bureaucracy.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, meanwhile, accused the defence secretary of abusing his authority, weakening national security and driving what he described as a costly and reckless war.
Democrats signal impeachment battle may return
Tuesday’s defeat may not mark the end of the impeachment controversy.
Jeffries indicated that Democrats would consider their next move once they assume control of the House, leaving open the possibility of another attempt to remove Hegseth through impeachment.
A Democratic-led investigation could bring greater scrutiny of Pentagon decisions, including testimony from senior military officers who were dismissed during Hegseth’s tenure.
Several high-ranking officials have been removed, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Navy’s top admiral. Their departures have drawn attention to Hegseth’s sweeping changes at the Pentagon, particularly his opposition to diversity initiatives.
Democrats could also widen their examination to include American military policy towards Ukraine and strikes targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.
For some Republicans, Hegseth’s increasingly strained relationship with Congress is becoming a political concern, particularly as the administration seeks to raise annual defence spending from $950 billion to $1.5 trillion.
Massie expressed disappointment over the outcome, comparing Republicans who backed the procedural motion to passengers aboard the Titanic who recognised the danger but refused to abandon ship.
For now, Hegseth has survived the immediate impeachment challenge. But with Democrats preparing to take control of the House, the political scrutiny surrounding his leadership is unlikely to disappear.
