US Lawmaker Introduces Eight Articles of Impeachment Against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth

Representative Thomas Massie has introduced eight Articles of Impeachment against U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in the House of Representatives, with backing from lawmakers including Representative Ro Khanna. The impeachment effort follows U.S. midterm elections and cites multiple violations of the 1973 War Powers Resolution, alongside civilian casualties in Iran, Yemen, and Venezuela.

Core Charges

The resolution accuses Mr. Hegseth of launching unauthorised military hostilities against Iran on February 28, 2026, without a congressional declaration of war or national emergency. Additional articles allege he ignored a joint House and Senate directive to withdraw forces, continued operations beyond mandatory statutory deadlines, and carried out a cruise missile strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School that killed and wounded over 200 civilians. Other charges involve lethal strikes on suspected narcotics vessels in international waters resulting in 221 deaths, retaliation against Senator Mark Kelly, an unconstitutional operation in Caracas that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and a 52-day campaign in Yemen named 'Operation Rough Rider' that caused roughly 224 civilian deaths.

Response And Outlook

Mr. Hegseth dismissed the impeachment effort as a "sham" in a video statement, calling Representative Massie a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" and defending his record as effective. President Donald Trump has maintained his support for Mr. Hegseth and praised his leadership during the Venezuela operation. While the current push in Congress is expected to face hurdles because Republicans remain in power until January, Mr. Massie stated the move aims to encourage a replacement before Democrats take control next year.

Context

The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the sole power to declare war, while the 1973 War Powers Resolution places strict limits on a president's ability to use military force abroad without legislative approval. Impeachment is a formal process through which the House of Representatives can charge a civil officer with wrongdoing, potentially leading to a trial in the Senate.