WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, accusing him of violating the War Powers Resolution by advancing the conflict with Iran without explicit approval from Congress.
Massie, a longtime critic of open-ended military engagements, said the administration’s actions crossed a constitutional line. The articles focus on the claim that major hostilities require a vote by the people’s representatives, not unilateral executive decisions.
This marks another flashpoint between the White House and members of its own party over the Iran war. The House has already voted multiple times this year to rein in presidential war powers related to the conflict, reflecting growing voter fatigue and concern about costs and escalation.
Impeachment of a Cabinet official faces steep odds in a Republican-controlled chamber, and there is no indication leadership plans to advance the measure. Still, the filing puts formal pressure on the administration and gives dissenters a vehicle to register opposition ahead of the midterms.
Hegseth and the Pentagon have defended operations as necessary to protect U.S. forces and interests. Massie’s move ensures the war-powers debate will remain part of the congressional record as campaigns intensify.
Massie’s record includes repeated votes against expansive authorizations for force. Allies say the articles are meant to force a floor debate; critics call the effort symbolic in a chamber unlikely to remove a Trump-appointed Pentagon chief mid-conflict.
Congressional war-powers disputes have escalated throughout 2026 as costs and casualty risks from the Iran confrontation remain politically sensitive in competitive districts.
Massie argued that declaring or expanding war without a congressional vote violates the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution’s allocation of war-making authority.
Reporting based on public statements and developments in September 2026.
