Massie sets out timing for planned Hegseth impeachment move

Republican congressman Thomas Massie told ABC News he intends to introduce a resolution to impeach US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on 9 or 10 November.

The House of Representatives is due to return on Monday 9 November at noon Eastern time. Massie’s proposed timetable is not a scheduled vote. He told ABC he believes enough Republicans will break ranks for the measure to pass.

President Donald Trump told ABC on Thursday that he had “every intention” of keeping Hegseth in his job. Asked about Massie’s resolution, Trump called the congressman a “very bad guy”.

Massie, who is leaving Congress after losing his Republican primary, had previously said he would seek an impeachment vote when the House returned. In September, he gave notice of an earlier resolution alleging that Hegseth directed US forces into hostilities against Iran without congressional authorisation, in violation of the War Powers Resolution. That effort stalled when House Speaker Mike Johnson cancelled the remaining votes before the election recess, ABC reported.

Under the procedure Massie described to Roll Call in October, if the House parliamentarian accepts the resolution as privileged, the speaker would have up to two legislative days to schedule a vote. The House could also vote on a motion to set the resolution aside. House approval alone would not remove Hegseth; the matter would then go to the Senate.