Republican congressman calls to impeach US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth

What Happened

United States Republican Representative Thomas Massie read articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday, accusing Hegseth of waging war without congressional approval, carrying out extrajudicial killings, and disregarding civilian casualties. Massie said Hegseth 'abused the powers entrusted to him as secretary of defence by subordinating the constitutional limits on the use of military force and the laws governing the conduct of hostilities to his own policy objectives' and showed 'profound disregard' for the impact of US military operations on civilians. The article notes Hegseth has faced criticism over the US-Israel war on Iran and for dismissing civilian-casualty protections as 'stupid' and 'politically correct' rules of engagement. The resolution could receive a vote in the coming days but faces long odds in the Republican-majority House; Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said the Department is unified behind Hegseth's vision.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The move highlights rare Republican dissent against the Trump administration's interventionist foreign policy, specifically the US-Israel war on Iran and Hegseth's alleged loosening of civilian-harm rules. It creates a formal congressional vehicle to challenge executive war powers and the legal basis and civilian toll of US military operations, even if impeachment is unlikely to pass.

Watch For

A possible House vote on the impeachment resolution in the coming days, though it faces long odds in the Republican-majority chamber. Monitor whether other Republicans join Massie, how Hegseth and the Pentagon respond to the specific allegations, and any further US congressional actions related to the war on Iran or civilian-casualty oversight.