A vote to remove the Pentagon chief will be brought to the House floor immediately following the November recess, according to sponsor Rep. Thomas Massie, who told a reporter the measure is more likely than not to be adopted. Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, plans to file a formal notice of intent to move forward with the proceedings during the week of Nov 9 and is considering expanding the 8 articles of impeachment included in his original resolution.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democrats have pledged to support the effort to oust Pete Hegseth, accusing the secretary of violating the War Powers law by extending military strikes in Iran without congressional approval. While Speaker Mike Johnson has the authority to prevent the House from considering the resolution, the effort to remove Hegseth has become a focal point for the upcoming lame-duck session, reflecting a broader Democratic strategy to target Trump administration officials over foreign policy decisions.