EXPLAINED | Can Congress Impeach Pete Hegseth Over Trump’s Iran War?

On November 8, US President Donald Trump defended Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as one of the people most responsible for the military campaign against Iran. Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie had already put that responsibility at the centre of an effort to impeach Hegseth. That same Sunday, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said he would back Massie’s measure. Republicans still run the House. Some may now have to vote on whether to formally charge a Cabinet secretary from their own party.

Why is Hegseth facing an impeachment push now?

Massie raised the measure in September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home early and the House never voted on it. Democrats won both chambers in the November 3 midterms. Massie, who lost his own primary to a Trump-backed challenger, says he could bring the measure back as early as Monday, November 9. Jeffries plans to discuss it with Democrats on Tuesday. Hegseth has called the effort politically motivated and defended the Iran campaign.

Who is Pete Hegseth, and how did he get the job?

He was an Army National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, then became a Fox News host. Trump picked him to run the Pentagon. The Senate split 50–50 on his confirmation in January 2025, and Vice President JD Vance broke the tie. A woman’s 2017 sexual-assault allegation surfaced during the nomination. Hegseth denied assault, and no criminal charges were filed. US law calls his post Secretary of Defense. Trump authorised Secretary of War as a second title.

What do Massie’s eight articles allege?

Three accuse Hegseth of waging war in Iran without congressional approval, defying a June vote directing a US withdrawal and fighting beyond the time limit set by law. The other five allege that he disregarded safeguards for civilians, used lethal force unlawfully against suspected drug boats, retaliated against Senator Mark Kelly, had no legal authority to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and waged an unauthorised bombing campaign in Yemen. These are Massie’s accusations. The House would have to decide whether any of them warrant impeachment.

What did Congress actually do about the Iran war?

Both chambers voted in June to direct Trump to pull US forces out of hostilities with Iran, with an exception for defending against an attack. The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and makes the president commander in chief. The 1973 War Powers Resolution generally gives a president 60 days from when hostilities are reported or should have been reported to Congress to end an unauthorised operation. It allows up to 30 more days for a safe withdrawal if the president certifies military necessity. The White House argued that an April ceasefire had ended those hostilities and that the June measure had no binding force without going to Trump for signature or veto. Its sponsors argued that the 1973 law empowered Congress to order a withdrawal.

What do we know about the school strike in Minab?

UN-appointed investigators found reasonable grounds to believe the US committed a war crime by striking a civilian target in Minab on February 28, the first day of the war. They said the attack on the primary school killed more than 150 people, including about 120 children. Massie cites the strike to support his allegation that Hegseth weakened safeguards, including by removing senior military lawyers. Establishing what Hegseth personally knew or ordered would require evidence about how the target was selected and approved.

Who ordered the second strike on a suspected drug boat?

The White House says Admiral Frank Bradley ordered it. On September 2, 2025, the US military struck a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean and then struck again. Hegseth said he watched the first strike, did not see survivors and later learned Bradley had ordered the second. He defended Bradley’s decision. Massie alleges the broader campaign unlawfully treated suspected smugglers as military targets and that the follow-up strike targeted survivors. The White House maintains the operation was lawful.

What did the Pentagon watchdog find about Signal?

It found that Hegseth broke Pentagon rules by sending sensitive details of planned March 2025 strikes in Yemen from his personal phone over Signal. The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg had been added to the chat by mistake. Hegseth told investigators he had judged the information safe to share. The watchdog found his use of the app risked compromising the mission and endangering US pilots. Massie cites the chat in his Yemen article.

Why is Senator Mark Kelly part of the case?

Hegseth formally reprimanded Kelly, a retired Navy captain, after he appeared in a video reminding troops they must refuse illegal orders. The Pentagon also began a process that could reduce his retired rank and pay. In February, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Pentagon from acting on the reprimand while Kelly’s lawsuit proceeded. Massie argues that Hegseth used military discipline to punish a senator for protected speech.

Could the House impeach him before January?

Yes. A simple majority can approve an article of impeachment, which amounts to bringing a formal charge. House rules can give Massie’s resolution priority within two legislative days of formal notice. Members could first vote to set it aside. Axios reported that Republican leaders were bracing for defections, but the House’s published schedule had yet to list an impeachment vote as of November 9.

What would it take to remove him?

The Senate would have to convict him, which takes two-thirds of senators present. Trump cannot veto the outcome. In 1876, the House impeached Secretary of War William Belknap in a bribery case even after he resigned. The Senate acquitted him. More recently, the House impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 and the Senate dismissed the charges.

What does Hegseth oversee with India?

He and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh signed a 10-year defence framework in 2025. They met in Cebu on October 28 to review it, including plans to share military technology and make defence equipment together. Those are the areas where any change in Pentagon leadership would be worth tracking.

Would removing Hegseth end the Iran war?

No. A Senate conviction would remove Hegseth from office. Decisions about military operations would still be made by the Trump administration. Congress would need to take separate action to restrict operations or cut off funding. The immediate test is whether the House votes on any of Massie’s charges. A vote to limit the war would put a different question to those same lawmakers.