The US House of Representatives is set to vote on an impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today. Congressman Thomas Massie said, "If we can overcome that effort, we will proceed to a real debate and vote on the Articles of Impeachment." Lawmakers will first consider a procedural motion.
The US House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Congressman Thomas Massie has announced.
According to Massie, lawmakers will first consider a procedural motion aimed at blocking the resolution before it can move forward.
"If we can overcome that effort, we will proceed to a real debate and vote on the Articles of Impeachment," Massie said.
In a post on X, the congressman also shared a proposed schedule outlining the day's proceedings. The House is expected to convene at 10:00 EST (15:00 GMT), with the first and final votes anticipated at approximately 17:30 EST (22:30 GMT).
The initial vote will determine whether the impeachment resolution is allowed to advance to further consideration. If the procedural challenge is defeated, lawmakers are expected to move on to debate and vote on the articles of impeachment.
US President Donald Trump has publicly thrown his support behind Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, awarding him an "'A' PLUS" for his response to an impeachment campaign led by former Congressman Thomas Massie.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump praised Hegseth's handling of the controversy, launching a sharp attack on Massie.
"Pete Hegseth gets an "A" PLUS, PLUS, PLUS for his defense against a disgruntled, angry, defeated, former Congressman, Thomas Massie, a TOTAL LOSER!" Trump wrote.
Hegseth has also dismissed the impeachment initiative as a "sham", insisting that the effort would not weaken his position or change his approach to leading the department.
In a video statement last week, he argued that criticism was coming because of the administration's effectiveness.
"You see, they attack me. They attack us because we are effective," Hegseth said. "It's not going to work. We will not back down."
He also described Massie as a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" and said he was not worried about the impeachment proceedings. During the video address, Hegseth defended his performance as head of the department and highlighted several actions he said were consistent with Trump's America First agenda.
Meanwhile, Massie formally submitted articles of impeachment against Hegseth through a resolution on the House floor on Monday afternoon. The move triggered a 48-hour period during which the chamber must take up the measure.
House lawmakers have several options, including voting directly on the resolution, sending it to a committee for consideration or moving to set it aside.
Explaining his decision, Massie told reporters after introducing the articles: "I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do."
The Kentucky Republican, who lost his re-election bid earlier this year, has repeatedly clashed with Trump over several issues, including the administration's war in Iran, which began nearly nine months ago. He has also attracted national attention for pressing the administration to release documents connected to deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Massie initially introduced impeachment articles against Hegseth in September. He has now revived the initiative following last week's midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress.
The congressman has argued that moving forward with the resolution now could prevent Democrats from turning the issue into a major political spectacle when they take control of Congress next year.
He has also suggested that the initiative could create an opportunity for Trump to nominate a successor to Hegseth while Republicans still hold the power to secure a swift confirmation.
In a separate statement, Massie described his impeachment campaign as a less confrontational alternative to what he expects from Democrats once they take control of Congress.
"My effort to impeach Secretary Hegseth is a much gentler version of what's coming when the Democrats assume control of the House and Senate next year," Massie said. "They will hold hearings and trials."