Massie gives Hegseth impeachment ultimatum as GOP pins blue wave on Iran war

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) gave War Secretary Pete Hegseth an ultimatum Wednesday night, saying the Cabinet official can resign or face impeachment in the 119th Congress’s final stretch.Massie’s move is unsurprising, as he previously disclosed his plans to force a vote on impeachment articles against Hegseth when the House returns following the midterm elections. But the idea carries new weight, as the GOP has moved to blame the Iran war for its historic loss Tuesday night.“There is one contingency in which I won’t reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns,” Massie wrote in an X post after telling CNN he would bring the measure forward next week when the House returns. The idea of Hegseth’s impeachment is not far-fetched. In post-mortem reviews of the midterm elections in which Democrats swiped control of both chambers of Congress, several GOP leaders pinpointed the blame on the Iran war, including Vice President JD Vance.“The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” Vance wrote Wednesday morning on X. “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest. But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) also pointed to the Iran war, particularly how it has sent costs rising at home. Cruz’s home state of Texas saw the governor’s mansion and a Senate seat turn blue.“The Iran war has dragged on too long,” Cruz said. “It should have been brief, decisive, and over.”Although President Donald Trump made the final decision to launch military operations against Tehran, Hegseth makes for a prime fall guy considering he oversees America’s defense forces. Republicans who fell Tuesday night may also be wary of turning on Trump, as he still has two remaining years in the Oval Office, making the choice to blame the war secretary all but easier to make.HOW SHIFTING DEMOGRAPHICS HELPED DEMOCRATS FLIP THE HOUSE AND SENATE ACCORDING TO EXIT POLLSTrump said Wednesday he thinks Hegseth is “doing a great job,” but sources told CBS News the president is asking advisers about a possible removal. The president previously warned Democrats against impeaching Hegseth, again defending his tenure.While Massie, who was ousted in his primary by a Trump-backed challenger, will take the lead in the House on impeaching Hegseth, the war secretary has adversaries in the Senate as well, such as outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC). Tillis has problems with Hegseth that extend beyond the war, including the ouster of top generals and former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s departure.