House Republicans voted 211-204 to reject an impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a measure filed by GOP Rep. Thomas Massie. The eight charges included violating the War Powers Resolution over the Iran war.
Hegseth brushed off the effort as theatrics. Even if it had passed the House, it would have needed two-thirds of the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 of 100 seats.
Democrats take control of both chambers in January and could revive the push then. Hakeem Jeffries, who backed the effort, is expected to become Speaker.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth faces possible impeachment by Congress and is fighting back. At a Pentagon news conference Tuesday, he said the effort will fail and blamed critics on the left for wanting him gone out of ego and resentment.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who is leaving Congress, filed eight articles of impeachment, one accusing Hegseth of breaking the 1973 War Powers Resolution by waging the Iran war without congressional approval.
Hegseth noted that his predecessor Lloyd Austin was never impeached, despite the Afghanistan withdrawal and the Chinese spy balloon incident.
Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie filed a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as soon as the House returned after the midterms. It centers on the Iran war and also cites military actions in Yemen and Venezuela. A House vote could come by midweek.
Massie accuses Hegseth of knowingly carrying out unlawful orders. Hegseth plans a rare press briefing Tuesday, his first in over 180 days.
Trump said the Iran conflict is largely over militarily and backed Hegseth, while calling Massie a loser.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is pushing back against fresh calls for him to step down after the midterms. In a video on X, he waved off impeachment articles that Rep. Thomas Massie plans to bring back when Congress returns next week.
Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, expects enough Republicans to back impeachment. Trump has said he intends to keep Hegseth at the Pentagon.
Smith has also called for more forceful Pentagon oversight in the new Congress, with the Iran war at the top of his list.
Pentagon leaders are uneasy after Republicans' midterm losses gave Democrats majorities in both chambers of Congress. Democrats are already focused on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, though some people close to the administration think Gen. Dan Caine or Adm. Brad Cooper could be dismissed instead.
Trump has said he won't fire anyone over the results and intends to keep Hegseth despite complaints he has received about him. He also acknowledged that getting a replacement confirmed would be hard once Democrats take over the Senate.
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