Republicans Block Impeachment of Pentagon Chief Hagset
On November 10, the U.S. House of Representatives referred a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hagset to the Judiciary Committee with 211 votes to 204. The initiative is effectively blocked until the new Congress convenes.
The vote took place on the evening of November 10. The Judiciary Committee is controlled by Republicans, so the resolution will not be able to advance until the next Congress begins its work.
The new Congress will begin its work on January 3, 2027. Following the November midterm elections, Democrats will gain a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. After that, they will be able to attempt to remove Hagset again: a simple majority will be required in the lower chamber, and two-thirds in the Senate.
The resolution was introduced by Republican Thomas Massie from Kentucky, a fellow party member of the secretary. He accused Hagset of abusing his powers, including in connection with the war in Iran, which was started without Congressional approval.
Hagset rejected the accusations and called them a farce. At a press conference at the Pentagon, he stated: "History will give the war in Iran a very different assessment than the one prevailing in public opinion today." The secretary was supported by U.S. President Donald Trump.
To date, no head of the U.S. military department has ever been impeached in the country's history.
