Representative Thomas Massie stood on the House floor on Monday and formally filed eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, forcing the House to vote within days on whether the Pentagon chief illegally waged war against Iran and seized Venezuela's president without Congress. The Kentucky Republican read out the 34-page resolution in one of the first legislative acts since Republicans lost control of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections, turning a long-running constitutional argument into a vote House leaders can no longer dodge.

The filing is the most direct challenge yet to Hegseth's conduct of the eight-month war with Iran and the operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Because the resolution is privileged, House leaders must act within two legislative days, with a vote expected as early as Wednesday, November 11.

Key Points

• Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) re-filed eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the House floor on Monday, November 9, 2026, reading the 34-page resolution aloud.
• Because the resolution is privileged, House leaders must act within two legislative days, with a vote expected as early as Wednesday, November 11.
• The articles accuse Hegseth of illegally waging the Iran war without a declaration of war or congressional authorisation, including three War Powers Resolution violations.
• They also charge him over seizing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and killing suspected Caribbean drug traffickers without judicial authorisation.
• Removal would still require a Senate trial and a two-thirds vote, with Republicans holding the Senate until January.

What Happened

Massie took to the floor on Monday and presented the resolution himself, reading its text into the record. The eight articles accuse Hegseth of waging war against Iran without a declaration of war, congressional authorisation, an attack on the United States or an imminent threat — the four conditions the Constitution sets for using military force.

Three of the eight articles deal specifically with the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which Massie says Hegseth violated three separate times in the Iran campaign. The rest cover the seizure of Maduro and lethal strikes on boats said to be carrying drugs in the Caribbean, carried out, the resolution says, without judicial authorisation.

Massie told reporters the articles stand a better chance now than before the election. "I think it's more likely to pass after the election than before the election," he said. On the floor, he warned Hegseth "has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office."

Background and Context

This is not the first time Massie has tried. He first filed the articles on September 15, when Republican leaders sent the House home a day early rather than face a vote. The landscape has changed: Democrats won both chambers on November 3, and the lame-duck House operates under a Republican majority of only five seats.

The Iran war is now in its ninth month, having begun on February 28, 2026. Hegseth defended the campaign last week as a "courageous and historic effort", vowing "we will not back down". The Venezuela operation added a second front to the constitutional argument.

Massie himself is a lame duck. He lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger and leaves Congress in January, giving him little to lose by forcing a vote his own party's leadership would rather avoid. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has already said he is a "hard yes" on impeaching Hegseth.

The Eight Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth

At the heart of the resolution is the claim that the president cannot take the country to war alone. The articles argue that Hegseth carried out a war Congress never declared and never authorised, in a conflict the administration calls effectively over even as the blockade continues. Each stage of the campaign is treated as a separate violation.

The Venezuela articles widen the case beyond Iran. They accuse Hegseth of seizing a foreign head of state and ordering the killing of suspected drug traffickers at sea without any court order or legal process. Together, the eight articles present Hegseth not as a secretary carrying out a president's orders but as an official who, in Massie's words, acted outside the law and the Constitution.

Reactions and Quotes

Hegseth has refused to step down and says he intends to serve through the end of President Donald Trump's term. He is due to hold his first press conference in more than 180 days on Tuesday, November 10, to defend the Iran war and the Venezuela operation in person.

Some lawmakers in Trump's own party have signalled they might join Democrats, and with a five-seat majority, a handful of defections could carry the vote. House leaders can hold a straight vote, move to table the articles, or refer them to committee — each choice carrying political risk as the balance of power is about to change.

Why It Matters

The vote will be the first test of the lame-duck House after an election that stripped Republicans of both chambers. It forces every member to go on the record about a war most Americans call the wrong decision — about six in ten, per an AP voter poll.

It also puts the constitutional question at the centre of the transition.

What Happens Next

Leaders must act within two legislative days of Monday's filing, so a vote is expected by Wednesday, November 11. If the House impeaches, the case moves to the Senate, where removal needs a two-thirds vote — a high bar while Republicans still control the chamber until January.

Even a vote to table the articles would be revealing, showing how many Republicans are willing to protect Hegseth and how many are ready to break with him. His press conference on Tuesday will be his first chance to answer the charges in person.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Thomas Massie file against Pete Hegseth?
Eight articles of impeachment, presented on Monday, November 9, 2026, in a 34-page privileged resolution forcing a House vote within two legislative days.

When will the House vote on the impeachment articles?
A vote is expected as early as Wednesday, November 11, 2026. House leaders can hold a straight vote, move to table the articles, or refer them to committee.

What are the eight articles about?
They accuse Hegseth of illegally waging the Iran war without a declaration of war or congressional authorisation — three War Powers violations — plus seizing Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and killing suspected drug traffickers without judicial authorisation.

Can Hegseth actually be removed from office?
Only if the House impeaches him and the Senate convicts him by a two-thirds vote. Republicans control the Senate until January, so removal remains a long shot even if the House votes to impeach.

Why is Massie forcing the vote now?
He first filed them on September 15, but Republican leaders avoided a vote. After the November 3 midterms, with Democrats having won both chambers and the GOP majority down to five seats, Massie says they are more likely to pass.

Related coverage: Hegseth faces likely House impeachment vote next week as Massie forces lame-duck showdown and Hegseth to hold first press conference in over 180 days to defend Iran war and Venezuela raid.