Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie, a vocal opponent of the Trump administration’s military campaign against Iran, introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday. The move seeks to force a procedural vote on removing the Pentagon chief from office.
In his filing, Massie accused Hegseth of waging war without explicit congressional authorization, conducting extrajudicial killings, and demonstrating indifference toward civilian casualties. “Secretary Hegseth abused the powers entrusted to him as secretary of defence by subordinating the constitutional limits on the use of military force and the laws governing the conduct of hostilities to his own policy objectives,” Massie stated. He further characterized the defense secretary’s approach as showing a “profound disregard” for the impact of U.S. military operations on non-combatants.
Hegseth has drawn scrutiny for his stance on the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and for previously disparaging rules of engagement designed to minimize civilian harm and ensure legal compliance. He has referred to these regulations as “stupid” and “politically correct” constraints that impede military effectiveness.
Although the impeachment resolution may come to a vote in the coming days, its passage faces steep odds in the Republican-controlled House. The Pentagon has publicly reaffirmed its backing of Hegseth. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told Reuters that the department remains “unified behind the Secretary’s vision” and is committed to prioritizing American warfighters and national interests.
The move highlights a growing fracture within the Republican Party regarding foreign policy. While polls indicate that most Republicans support the military campaign against Iran, a small cohort on the right, including Massie and commentator Tucker Carlson, have increasingly criticized the administration’s interventionist stance.
President Donald Trump, who campaigned on reducing U.S. overseas military engagements, has previously reprimanded Massie for his opposition to the Iran war and for pushing to release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Massie’s political prospects were already diminished after he lost his May primary to a Trump-endorsed candidate, following an intense spending campaign by pro-Israel super PACs targeting the congressman.
Calling rules of engagement ‘stupid’ isn’t exactly a confidence-building move for a Defense Secretary. The civilian toll matters.
It’s wild that Massie lost his primary yet still has the guts to introduce this. Political suicide or principle?