Republicans Block Impeachment Effort Against US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth

Republicans have blocked an effort to impeach US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, securing a victory in a procedural vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The outcome has offered temporary relief to the controversial Pentagon chief, although Democrats could revive impeachment efforts after taking control of Congress next year.

Hours before the vote, Hegseth dismissed the impeachment effort as a farce and strongly defended his leadership of the US military. President Donald Trump subsequently praised him for his performance.

The procedural motion passed by 211 votes to 204, sending eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth to the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee. Thomas Massie, the outgoing Republican representative from Kentucky who initiated the impeachment effort, had warned that the move would effectively kill the initiative.

Massie had hoped to secure support from Republicans dissatisfied with Hegseth's policies and concerned about the unpopularity of the war with Iran. However, no other Republican joined his effort.

Democrats strongly backed the impeachment initiative. However, 11 Democratic lawmakers, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, did not vote.

Had at least eight of those 11 Democrats participated in the vote, the procedural motion would have been blocked, potentially clearing the way for a full House vote on Hegseth's impeachment.

Trump welcomed the outcome in a social media post, describing the impeachment effort against Hegseth as a "miserable failure".

The episode also appeared to strengthen the relationship between Trump and Hegseth. Trump said Hegseth's role in handling issues involving Iran and Venezuela had demonstrated that he was a patriot and that the allegations against him were baseless.

Had Hegseth been impeached, he would have become the first US defence secretary in history to face impeachment. The last time a civilian head of the US military establishment was impeached was in 1876, when William Belknap was serving as Secretary of War.

Hegseth refers to himself as the "Secretary of War", a title he has used as part of his efforts to reshape the US military since taking office last year. He argues that the military had previously become excessively weak and influenced by progressive culture. However, Trump cannot formally change the name of the Department of Defense without congressional approval.

Voter dissatisfaction over the Iran war contributed to Democratic gains in last week's midterm elections, which helped the party secure control of Congress. The conflict has effectively reached a stalemate amid efforts to establish control and security over the Strait of Hormuz.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found that most Americans want the Democratic-majority Congress, which is scheduled to take office in January, to take steps to bring the war with Iran to a permanent end.

Vice President JD Vance has also publicly questioned the war and blamed it for the Republicans' poor performance in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, he expressed support for Hegseth on Tuesday.

In a social media post, Vance wrote: "This isn't about Iran. It's about Pete taking on the Pentagon bureaucracy."

Before the vote, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Monday that Hegseth had abused his authority, weakened US national security and played a central role in planning what he described as a reckless, costly and unsuccessful war against Iran.

Hegseth has repeatedly defended the war, praising Trump as courageous and claiming that Iran's military capabilities have been destroyed. Responding to Massie's allegations, he also maintained that all orders he had given to US troops were lawful.

Massie accused Hegseth of "serious crimes and misconduct". The allegations include his handling of the war against Iran and the US military operation in January to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.

Hegseth held his first Pentagon press conference in six months on Tuesday. During the briefing, he said, "History's assessment of the Iran war will be very different from the prevailing narrative today."

Jeffries said he would consult Democratic lawmakers about whether to launch a fresh impeachment effort against Hegseth in the next Congress.

"We will have that discussion at the appropriate time," he said.

A new impeachment initiative led by Democrats could gain greater momentum. If that happens, senior military officials, including generals and admirals, could be called to testify before Congress. Several former senior military officers dismissed by Hegseth have so far remained publicly silent on the matter.

Hegseth, who has consistently opposed diversity and inclusion initiatives at the Pentagon, has dismissed the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is Black. He has also removed the Navy's top admiral, a woman, from her position.

In a renewed impeachment effort, Democrats could also highlight other issues of concern to voters, including Pentagon policy towards Ukraine and US military strikes against vessels suspected of involvement in drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.

Some Republicans believe Hegseth's strained relationship with Congress is becoming a political liability for the Trump administration.

The situation is particularly uncomfortable for the administration as it pursues plans to increase the US military budget from $950 billion to $1.5 trillion.