The US House of Representatives on Tuesday blocked an immediate vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, voting 211-204 to refer Republican Representative Thomas Massie’s eight-article resolution to the House Judiciary Committee.
The move leaves the measure stalled in the Republican-led panel with less than two months remaining in the current Congress.
The House Clerk recorded 211 votes for referral, 204 against and 18 members not voting.
Massie was the only Republican to oppose referral, while 203 Democrats voted against it and 11 Democrats were absent.
The 11 Democratic absences exceeded the referral’s seven-vote margin, and seven of those lawmakers later said they would have opposed the referral, according to Al Jazeera.
Massie’s resolution accuses Hegseth of violating US war-powers law through military operations in Iran and raises further allegations involving maritime strikes on suspected drug traffickers, the operation that seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, retaliation against Senator Mark Kelly and military action in Yemen.
Massie said Hegseth was “breaking the law and must be held accountable” over hostilities in Iran lasting more than 90 days without congressional authorization.
Hegseth rejected the accusations at a Pentagon briefing, describing the effort as “a political spectacle” and arguing that the military operations cited in the articles were lawful.
President Donald Trump also backed Hegseth after the vote, according to the BBC.
Democrats are expected to take control of both the House and Senate when the new Congress convenes on January 3 after their midterm election gains.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said after the vote: “This is not the end of it. It’s just the beginning.”
The House’s procedural guide, House Practice, says an impeachment proceeding begun in one Congress may be resumed in the next, meaning Tuesday’s referral does not necessarily end the matter permanently.
Any successful House impeachment would still trigger a Senate trial, where the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of senators present for conviction and removal.
That threshold means a Democratic Senate majority alone would not be sufficient to remove Hegseth.
Sources:
- BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cxly4y5jzl0qo
- Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/11/did-democrats-save-pete-hegseth-from-impeachment
- Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/pete-hegseth-attempt-to-impeach-trumps-defence-secretary-blocked-13610811
- Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives: https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026317
- Office of Rep. Thomas Massie: https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395863
- U.S. House Practice via GovInfo: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-115/html/GPO-HPRACTICE-115-28.htm
- U.S. Senate, About Impeachment: https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/impeachment.htm
- Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/272515c4fca92435224406593a892e69
- White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/11/secretary-hegseth-torches-baseless-impeachment-stunt-this-is-not-patriotism-this-is-sabotage/
- DVIDS: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/10085974/sw-conducts-pentagon-press-briefing