Massie introduces impeachment articles towards Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie is introducing articles of impeachment towards Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth on the Home ground Monday afternoon.

Hegseth stated on Monday that he is “not fearful about” efforts to question him over his controversial management on the Pentagon and function administering the Iran battle, saying a uncommon press convention on the subject set for Tuesday.

“We’re not fearful about that,” Hegseth stated when requested by a reporter about Republican help on Capitol Hill amid the impeachment effort led by outgoing Rep. Massie.

“We will do a press convention tomorrow morning on the Pentagon on that very subject. So I will save my remarks there. I hope you all come loaded for bear along with your questions,” stated Hegseth, who hasn’t held a press convention since Might.

Hegseth’s feedback got here the identical day Massie reintroduced a privileged decision to question Hegseth. Calls to question Hegseth have grown as a number of Republicans have attributed the GOP’s sweeping midterm losses to the Iran battle.

Massie went by the method in mid-September solely to be thwarted by Speaker Mike Johnson, who canceled the ultimate scheduled day of legislative enterprise earlier than the midterm elections — staving off a vote on the time.

“Here is the parliamentary actuality of it. What Speaker Johnson has achieved, I consider, after speaking to the parliamentarian, is I must refile the articles of impeachment after we get again,” Massie instructed ABC Information on Sept. 16. “They may expire. Perhaps they’re going to develop. Perhaps he’ll do one thing between now and the election that warrants one other article, or and so I will should refile these after we get again.”

After Massie’s reintroduction of the decision, the Home should take up the measure inside two legislative days — forcing Republicans to go on the report defending Hegseth after struggling main losses within the 2026 midterm elections.

Massie, a conservative who has gained a repute as a constitutionalist by his seven phrases within the Home, misplaced a main earlier this summer season after President Donald Trump endorsed his opponent.

It is unclear whether or not an impeachment effort will succeed within the Home, which continues to be beneath Republican management, however Massie instructed ABC Information’ Jon Karl that he is assured there shall be sufficient GOP defectors for it to go. Massie wants a easy majority for the impeachment decision to reach the Home, which means that simply three Republicans have to vote with all Democrats to prevail.

It would not seem that any Democrats will vote towards the impeachment effort. Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries got here out in help of impeaching Hegseth saying on ABC Information’ “This Week” on Sunday that he is a “laborious sure.”

GOP leaders might supply a movement to “desk” the decision relatively than take a direct vote on the underlying measure. That would wish to go by a easy majority.

Home Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer declined to again the Hegseth impeachment effort, however Massie volunteered that “there’s loads of questions on” Hegseth, together with the embattled secretary’s technique in Iran.

“I’ll weigh the controversy and decide,” retiring Republican Rep. Don Bacon instructed ABC Information’ Kyra Phillips on Friday when requested if he’ll vote to question Hegseth. “I do suppose the secretary has made some unhealthy errors.”

Even when the measure passes within the Home, it might nonetheless want approval by a two-thirds majority within the GOP-controlled Senate, a lofty threshold that is unlikely to be met.

Trump has maintained that he has “each intention to maintain” Hegseth atop the Pentagon.

In a video posted Thursday, Hegseth proclaimed that he is not going to again down — doubling down on the Iran battle and his cultural agenda on the Pentagon whereas drawing a parallel to Trump.

“This isn’t about me, however in fact the opposite facet, they’re obsessed. A disgruntled, defeated congressman, together with all his Democratic allies has additionally dropped sham articles of impeachment towards yours actually. Similar to they tried towards President Trump twice,” Hegseth stated within the video.

ABC Information’ Steven Beynon contributed to this report.