US Republican lawmaker files impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Hegseth

Republican U.S. Representative Thomas Massie filed articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, accusing him of abusing his office by executing an order for hostilities against Iran without approval by Congress. The impeachment resolution is unlikely to pass, but the maneuver by the Kentucky Republican could force a vote in the House of Representatives before the November midterm elections.

Massie, an outspoken critic of the war on Iran and aid to Israel, is not up for reelection. He lost his primary in May to Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL backed by Republican President Donald Trump, after Massie angered Trump by leading a push to release Justice Department files tied to Jeffrey Epstein.

Polls indicate that the war, which began with attacks on Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces on February 28, is unpopular with voters. Members of Congress, primarily Democrats, have repeatedly voted for resolutions calling on Trump to end the conflict unless he obtains congressional support, but these have not resulted in a cessation of hostilities. Opinion polls suggest that Trump's Republicans face a challenging election to retain control of the House and Senate on November 3. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday showed Democrats leading Republicans 44% to 37% in congressional vote preference. Trump's popularity has declined since he launched the war, which has disrupted oil shipments and driven fuel prices to near record highs, impacting U.S. household finances.