The US House of Representatives is set to vote this week on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a move that could succeed with surprising support from within the Republican Party. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie is leading the effort, filing eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday.
According to a Fox News report, several Republican lawmakers believe the measure has a real chance of passing, partly due to the absence of Republican congressmen who lost in last week's midterm elections, combined with dissatisfaction over Hegseth's conduct. Still, most Republicans are expected to oppose the impeachment.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of the political fallout from the war with Iran, particularly high fuel prices, which became a major factor in the Republicans' significant losses in last week's midterm elections.
The eight impeachment articles Massie presented address the administration's handling of the Iran war, strikes against vessels suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean, American strikes in Yemen, and the extradition of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
An additional article accuses Hegseth of violating the free speech rights of Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, after Kelly called on soldiers not to obey unlawful orders.
Hegseth rejected the impeachment attempt and called it a "disgrace" that he said would not succeed. Republican Congressman Warren Davidson also opposed the move, arguing it was an attempt to hold the Defense Secretary responsible for decisions made by the President.
