The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday evening to refer Rep. Thomas Massie's eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee, blocking an immediate floor vote on the charges. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., offered the referral motion shortly after 5:30 p.m. ET, and the House approved it at 6:02 p.m. ET.
Massie was the only Republican to oppose sending his own resolution to committee. The closing tally showed 210 Republicans and one independent backing referral, with 203 Democrats joining Massie in opposition. Seven Republicans did not vote, and 11 Democrats missed the vote.
Massie, a Kentucky Republican, introduced the eight articles on Monday, accusing Hegseth of violating federal war powers laws in connection with the war in Iran, as well as other alleged high crimes and misdemeanors. The articles also cover military operations in Yemen and Venezuela, civilian casualties, and retaliation against Sen. Mark Kelly. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries had said he would vote to impeach, calling himself a "hard yes."
Earlier on Tuesday, Hegseth called the effort a "farce" at his first Pentagon news conference in six months, arguing that it was a policy disagreement rather than a high crime or misdemeanor. He compared the effort to the two impeachments of President Donald Trump, saying both times Trump "came back stronger."
Trump hailed the decision on social media later Tuesday, writing that "every single Republican, except Thomas Massie" voted in favor of Hegseth, and calling the outcome the "exoneration of a Great American Patriot."
The referral gives Hegseth a procedural reprieve: further consideration of the articles now rests with the Republican-led Judiciary Committee. But the reprieve may be temporary. Democrats take control of the House in January, and Massie's resolution will expire when the current Congress ends, so another House member would have to reintroduce the articles for the fight to continue.
If the House had impeached Hegseth, he would have become only the third Cabinet secretary impeached in U.S. history. Removal from office would still have required a two-thirds vote in the Senate, or 67 votes if all 100 senators vote.
