Hegseth Faces Impeachment Vote as New Congress Assembles
Outgoing Republican Thomas Massie is set to bring a vote on the defense secretary to the floor before funding expires in December.
By Paula Delgado ·
The return of lawmakers to Washington this week places a direct vote on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s job status before the chamber. Outgoing Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky has secured a privileged resolution, a procedural move that forces the House to cast a ballot. Massie stated that the only alternatives to this vote are Hegseth resigning or President Donald Trump removing him from office.
Hegseth reacted to the impending action by posting a video to the social media platform X. In the clip, the secretary characterized the effort as political theater designed to destroy opponents. He noted that previous attempts to unseat President Trump failed and declared that the same logic would apply to his own position.
Beyond the leadership question, the chamber must begin work on keeping the government funded. The current continuing resolution that keeps federal operations running expires on December 11. Lawmakers will start drafting new funding measures this week to prevent a lapse in services for federal employees and benefit recipients.
The assembly of the new Congress also brings the selection of Republican leadership. Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has announced he will not run for the role of Minority Leader. Two current members are competing for the position: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio.
Freshman members of Congress are arriving in the capital this week for their initial orientation sessions. These new officials will join the existing membership as the lame-duck session proceeds with its scheduled agenda items.
