Massie reintroduces articles of impeachment against Hegseth. Here’s what happens next

Outgoing Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) reintroduced articles of impeachment against War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday when Congress returned to Washington, D.C., kicking off what’s expected to be rigorous oversight of the Department of War and its leader in the weeks and months ahead.Massie initially introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth back in September. They did not get a vote at the time, but he’s now doing it in the aftermath of last week’s midterm elections, where Democrats took back control of both chambers of Congress with large majorities in each.Most of the eight articles outline Hegseth’s actions on recent military operations in Iran, Yemen, and Venezuela without prior congressional authorization. They argue that the secretary’s usurping of Congress’s will, as outlined in the War Powers Resolution of 1973, amounts to high crimes and misdemeanors. Massie’s articles of impeachment also allege that Hegseth’s desire to pursue a culture with “maximum lethality,” combined with other efforts he undertook to reduce the civilian harm mitigation office, has led to the unnecessary deaths of civilians caught in the crossfire from American forces.Another charge focuses on the lethal boat strikes conducted against suspected drug smugglers; another is about suppressing free speech, which is a reference to his effort to punish Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ). Kelly was one of a handful of Democrats last year who urged service members not to follow any illegal orders.Massie also highlights the kidnapping of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, and initiating the war against the Houthis in Yemen last year without congressional authorization.By reintroducing the articles of impeachment, Massie has restarted a two-day clock for GOP leaders to schedule a vote. Hegseth has boasted about many of the very things Massie — and Democrats — have argued are impeachable offenses.Even if Hegseth survives Massie’s impeachment attempt, the incoming Democratic majorities in both chambers have promised to conduct more intensive oversight of the department.Many Democrats have argued that the incoming Congress should focus on the topics Massie outlined in his articles of impeachment.Hegseth posted a roughly six-minute video on Thursday defending his tenure as secretary and doubling down on the policies he’s supported thus far.“We have only just begun to fight. We are more determined than ever, more resolute than ever to finish what we have started, we will stand, we will fight, and we will defend this republic from all enemies foreign and domestic,” he said in the video. “A disgruntled defeated congressman along all his Democrat allies has also dropped sham articles of impeachment against yours truly. Just like they tried against President Trump twice… didn’t work with President Trump and it won’t work with me.”President Donald Trump has also come to Hegseth’s defense since the election, though Trump acknowledged the political reality that he’s more likely to get a successor confirmed under the lame-duck Congress than under the incoming one, in which the nominee would need a handful of Democrats to secure the needed votes.Hegseth took the unusual step of endorsing Massie’s Republican challenger, Rep.-elect Ed Gallrein (R-KY), who won the general election last Tuesday in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.Hegseth defiant over Epic Fury Hegseth traveled to Rhode Island on Tuesday, where he spoke at the Naval War College. During his roughly 30-minute address, the secretary announced that he was making more than 30 changes to how the war colleges operate.He did not address the current political tension he’s facing on Capitol Hill, but he was later asked about it by reporters before he flew back to Washington, D.C.“If you want to take issue with what we did in Epic Fury or Rough Rider or nabbing Nicolas Maduro, you’re taking issue with the troops and what they accomplished, which is historic,” Hegseth said on the tarmac. “Everybody in the military knows that. Anybody paying attention knows that. These are the kind of partisan political games Democrats have been playing for a very long time against the president.”The incoming Congress seems ready to reclaim its unilateral authority to declare war after several Congresses in recent decades have pulled back on that role, allowing the president more power to deploy the military as they see fit.DEMOCRATS SALIVATE OVER PENTAGON OVERSIGHT WITH NEW MAJORITIESCongress passed the War Powers Resolution of 1973 over the veto of then-President Richard Nixon to put constraints on the president’s power to carry out wars in the wake of the Vietnam War. The law requires the president to notify congressional leaders within 48 hours after U.S. forces are introduced into “situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances.”Upon congressional notification, the president then has a maximum of 60 days for Congress to vote to authorize or terminate the conflict.