Rep. Thomas Massie forced the vote. He was the only Republican who voted against sending his resolution to committee, where it effectively dies.
The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday to send the resolution impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to committee, which effectively ends the effort for now. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who forced the vote, was the only Republican to vote against referral.
Hegseth keeps his job. The vote went largely along party lines, one day after Massie told the House that Hegseth "will remain a threat to the Constitution, if allowed to remain in office."
Massie's resolution carried eight articles of impeachment, accusing Hegseth of waging an illegal war against Iran without congressional approval and ordering strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats. Under House rules, any single member can offer impeachment as a question of the privileges of the House, and the chamber then chooses among referring it to committee, tabling it or voting on it directly. WECU explained how one member can force that process earlier today.
Republicans picked referral. Massie had said the first vote would be a procedural motion meant to kill the measure, and that is what happened.
Hegseth has called the effort a farce. In a video last week he called the military operations lawful and ordered by the commander in chief, and said "These are not high crimes." President Donald Trump said last week he has "every intention to keep him."
Massie lost his May primary to Trump-backed Ed Gallrein after seven terms. Speaker Mike Johnson had already recessed the House early in September to block an earlier attempt by Massie to force this vote.
The resolution now sits in committee. Democrats have said they will revisit Hegseth's future once they take over the House in January. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has called himself a "hard yes" on impeaching him.
· Reason
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