Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives successfully blocked an effort by the opposition Democratic Party to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over unauthorized military strikes on Iran and allegations of power abuse.
The initiative was led by outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday, November 9, 2026. However, in a 211 to 204 vote on Tuesday, the House voted to send the impeachment articles to the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee—a procedural move that effectively halts the impeachment process.
Read nextPakistani Court Formally Frames Gang-Rape Charges Against 8 Men, Including Deputy PM Ishaq Dar's GrandsonMassie had hoped that Republican concerns over the unapproved Iran military actions would garner cross-party support, but no other Republicans joined him. Furthermore, 11 Democratic members, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, abstained from voting, which prevented the opposition from defeating the referral motion.
Defense Secretary Hegseth dismissed the impeachment effort as a "farce," while President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to celebrate the outcome, praising Hegseth as a "great American patriot" and asserting that the failed attempt had only strengthened their administration. Historically, only one U.S. Defense Secretary—William Belknap in 1876—has ever been impeached by Congress.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
