House Democrats Fume as Colleagues Cause Impeachment of Pete Hegseth Fail
House Democrats blast 11 absent members after a vote to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fails. Read more on the political fallout.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — Democratic lawmakers expressed intense frustration following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s survival of an impeachment attempt on Tuesday, specifically targeting caucus members who failed to be present for the critical vote.
The challenge began when Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie filed articles of impeachment on Monday. Massie accused Hegseth of high crimes and misdemeanors, specifically alleging he initiated conflict with Iran without congressional authorization and conducted extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean via strikes on suspected drug vessels.
Because the GOP maintains a majority in the House until January, the chamber voted 211-204 to refer the matter to the Republican-led Judiciary Committee. This move effectively stalls the impeachment process until the 120th Congress, led by Democrats, is officially sworn in next year.
The result provided a significant victory for Defense Secretary Hegseth and President Donald Trump, who celebrated the outcome on Truth Social. However, the opposition is now grappling with the 11 absent Democrats whose absence could have potentially shifted the mathematical landscape of the vote.
Speaking with CNN reporter Manu Raju at the Capitol, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the lack of attendance from her peers. She noted that the public elects representatives to perform specific duties and remarked that while she allows for the possibility of legitimate health emergencies, the lack of presence was deeply disappointing given the final result.
California Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove echoed these sentiments, telling Meidas previously that those responsible should have arrived at the Capitol steps to cast their votes.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
