Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
“By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable,” Massie said on the House floor. “Secretary Hegseth’s constitutional violations extend beyond the illegal war in Iran. He is abusing the power of his office to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders, and to intimidate critics of the Trump administration by retaliating against them for exercising free speech. If we are to remain true to our oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States,’ Congress must not turn a blind eye to Secretary Hegseth’s unconstitutional and illegal actions.”
Massie’s resolution reads: “The introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran therefore satisfied none of the circumstances expressly identified in section 2(c) of the War Powers Resolution and was undertaken, from its inception, without congressional authorization or independent Article II authority, thereby rendering both the initial introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities, and all subsequent actions taken thereafter, unlawful.”
“Secretary Hegseth nevertheless knowingly executed and implemented the order to commence such hostilities, employing the powers, personnel, weapons, and resources of the Department of Defense to initiate military action against another sovereign nation, in violation of section 1541(c) of title 50, United States Code,” it says, adding that Hegseth “knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders to initiate war against a foreign nation notwithstanding the absence of congressional authorization, an attack upon the United States giving rise to the national emergency contemplated by law, or an imminent threat requiring immediate defensive action, thereby substituting unlawful Executive action for the constitutional and statutory judgment of Congress.”
Democratic lawmakers previously indicated that they sought to impeach Hegseth. Axios obtained a copy of the impeachment resolution in April, which focuses on Signalgate and alleged misconduct by Hegseth. According to the resolution, Hegseth has “authorized, supported, and advanced military operations lacking defined objectives, lawful authorization, or clear strategic necessity, knowingly exposing members of the Armed Forces of the United States to substantial and foreseeable risk of injury or death.”
