The US House has blocked a Hegseth impeachment bid over the Iran war and alleged military misconduct, sending the resolution to committee

The United States House of Representatives has blocked an attempt to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over allegations surrounding the Trump administration’s military operations against Iran and other controversial military actions, following a 211-204 vote in Washington on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

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The resolution, introduced by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, was referred to the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee after lawmakers voted against allowing the impeachment process to advance directly on the House floor.

The decision effectively shelves the immediate impeachment effort, although lawmakers have not voted on the substance of the allegations against Hegseth.

All Republicans except Massie supported the referral, while Democrats opposed it.

The outcome reflected the continuing influence of party divisions in Congress, particularly over the Trump administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran.

Massie had introduced eight articles of impeachment in a 34-page resolution, accusing Hegseth of committing serious violations of the law and abusing the authority of his office.

The allegations included authorising military operations against Iran without congressional approval, continuing hostilities beyond the limits established by the War Powers Resolution, and failing to adequately protect civilians during military operations.

Other accusations concerned alleged extrajudicial killings during US military strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, military action involving Venezuela and Yemen, and alleged retaliation against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.

These remain allegations contained in the impeachment resolution and have not been established through an impeachment trial or judicial determination.

The dispute over Iran formed the central part of Massie’s case. The congressman argued that the administration had continued military operations without obtaining the necessary authorisation from Congress, raising constitutional questions about the limits of presidential and executive authority over military action.

Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the president is generally required to withdraw US forces from hostilities within 60 days unless Congress authorises the military operation, with a possible additional 30-day period for withdrawal.

Massie’s resolution alleged that Hegseth continued directing military operations beyond the statutory period without proper congressional approval.

It also cited a February 2026 strike on a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, which reportedly killed more than 200 civilians, as an example of alleged failures to protect non-combatants.

The allegations involving military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels also featured prominently in the impeachment articles. Massie accused the defence secretary of authorising lethal operations without adequate legal justification, including strikes that allegedly killed survivors of an earlier attack.

The resolution further raised questions about the administration’s military involvement in Venezuela and Yemen, alongside accusations that Hegseth had sought to punish Senator Kelly over public comments concerning unlawful military orders. Hegseth has rejected the accusations.

Reacting to the impeachment effort before the vote, Hegseth dismissed it as a politically motivated attempt to undermine the Pentagon’s leadership.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, he described the proceedings as a “farce” and a “political spectacle”, arguing that the accusations amounted to partisan disagreements rather than conduct warranting impeachment.

“None of these are high crimes or misdemeanors,” Hegseth said

President Donald Trump also welcomed the outcome, praising Hegseth and criticising the impeachment initiative. The president had maintained his support for the defence secretary throughout the controversy, while the White House had publicly opposed Massie’s resolution.

Massie, however, expressed disappointment with the decision, although he had acknowledged that securing sufficient support for impeachment would be difficult.

The Kentucky congressman has been a prominent Republican critic of aspects of Trump’s administration, particularly its approach to military operations and the exercise of executive power.

The House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, also indicated that the opposition party would continue pressing for accountability over the allegations.

“This is not the end of it. It’s just the beginning,” Jeffries said after the vote, according to the report.

The political circumstances surrounding the impeachment effort could also change in January 2027, when Democrats are expected to assume control of both chambers of Congress following their victories in the November 2026 midterm elections.

However, the referral to the Judiciary Committee means the current resolution faces a difficult path forward, particularly with the present Congress approaching the end of its session.

The dispute also highlights the complicated constitutional relationship between the White House and Congress over decisions to deploy American military forces.

Impeachment itself would not automatically remove Hegseth from office. The House would first have to approve the articles by a simple majority before the matter could proceed to a Senate trial. Conviction and removal would require a two-thirds majority of senators present.

Only two US Cabinet secretaries have previously been impeached: Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876 and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024. Belknap was acquitted by the Senate, while the charges against Mayorkas were dismissed.

For now, the 211-204 decision represents a political victory for Trump and his defence secretary, but it does not settle the underlying questions about congressional oversight, the legality of military operations or accountability for alleged misconduct.

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The Hegseth impeachment bid has therefore exposed a wider disagreement in Washington over how far a president and defence secretary can exercise military authority without congressional consent, an issue likely to remain prominent as the political balance in Congress changes in the coming months.