Rep. Thomas Massie files eight impeachment articles against War Secretary Pete Hegseth

An impeachment resolution against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth landed on the House floor Tuesday, read out by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who charged Hegseth with high crimes and misdemeanors across eight articles. The charges span alleged violations of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 in Iran, extrajudicial targeting in the Caribbean, and what Massie frames as the unauthorized capture of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from Caracas in January through Operation Absolute Resolve.

The first three articles address Iran directly. Massie's opening article argues the war was "unlawful from its inception." The second claims Hegseth disobeyed Congress after both chambers voted to direct the removal of troops. The third charges that hostilities continued past the resolution's 60-day termination period and any applicable 30-day withdrawal window.

Articles four and five address civilian casualties and extrajudicial killing. The fifth specifically accuses Hegseth of replacing maritime law enforcement with unauthorized lethal military targeting of suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea. Article six charges Hegseth with retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., for joining other lawmakers in a video critics claimed encouraged active military members to disobey lawful orders. Massie frames that retaliation as a suppression of free speech.

Article seven is the sharpest of the eight. It accuses Hegseth of directing the capture of Maduro and Flores "without constitutional or legal authority." The eighth article, covering Yemen, charges Hegseth with initiating Operation Rough Rider without congressional authorization or an imminent threat to the United States, violating war powers reporting requirements, and involvement in what the article describes as civilian deaths and strikes on protected persons.

After reading all eight articles for over an hour on the floor, Massie argued that Hegseth "abused the powers entrusted to him" by placing his own policy objectives above constitutional limits on military force and the laws governing the conduct of hostilities. He stated Hegseth "has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to civilians, the lawful conduct of United States military operations, the integrity and credibility of the United States Armed Forces and the Constitution, if allowed to remain in office." That conduct, Massie said, "warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States." Fox News Digital contacted Massie's office and the Pentagon for comment. Any committee action on the resolution is the next step to watch.

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