What is impeachment after top Republican takes step to force out Pete Hegseth

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Pete Hegseth’s days as US defense secretary could be numbered. A member of his own political party, Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie, introduced eight articles of impeachment against him today. Massie accused Hegseth of, among other things, illegally waging war without congressional authorisation and abusing his powers. A vote in the US House of Representatives could take place as soon as this week. What is impeachment? ‘Secretary of War’ Pete Hegseth (Picture: Corum-Pool via CNP/Shutterstock) The US Constitution allows Congress to remove the highest officials of government, including the president. Any member of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress, can introduce a resolution to impeach the president, vice president, other top officials or judges. The US Founding Fathers thought impeachment was a good idea, given that presidents could abuse their power. Doing so requires enough lawmakers, as politicians in the US are known, to agree that they have committed a serious crime, like treason or bribery. This doesn’t mean the executive official is immediately sent to pack up their desk supplies into a cardboard box – it’s just the first step. Impeachment is a long process. The House can impeach an official, akin to an indictment, by a majority vote. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Thomas Massie has accused Hegseth of illegally waging war (Picture: Reuters) Then a trial will begin in the upper chamber of Congress, called the Senate. Two-thirds of senators would then vote to convict and remove the official. Sometimes, the House Judiciary Committee – which oversees federal goings-on – can first hold hearings on whether impeachment is needed. This can include calling in witnesses, combing through documents and trying to agree on what an impeachable offence is. Three presidents − including Bill Clinton in 1998 and Andrew Johnson in 1868 − and War Secretary William Belknap in 1876 have been impeached. None were convicted. Donald Trump, meanwhile, is the first US President to face impeachment twice. Why does Massie want to impeach Pete Hegseth? Hegseth is one of the most divisive figures in Trump’s administration (Picture: AFP) Hegseth is known for his tough guy image and has survived a fair few political scandals in recent months. But leading the military through a deeply unpopular war that has driven prices at the pump to new highs is hard to survive, pundits say. Massie has long made it clear he wants Hegseth gone, having tried to force an impeachment vote in September, only for Speaker Mike Johnson to send lawmakers home early to let the midterms happen. And in the aftermath of the midterms, which ended with both chambers of Congress turning blue, Massie picked now to make his move. Massie, an anti-war Republican and Donald Trump critic, said Hegseth ‘has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to civilians, the lawful conduct of United States military operations, the integrity and credibility of the United States Armed Forces, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office’. Along with waging war on Iran, Massie’s resolution, which he read out on the House floor, said Hegseth carried out killings tied to alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean. Massie added on X: ‘I’ve seen some of my colleagues say @SecWar Hegseth has been effective and they agree with the war, so they’ll vote not to impeach. ‘That’s not the question, though. The question is whether he committed impeachable acts, and the answer is yes, eight times.’ I’ve seen some of my colleagues say @SecWar Hegseth has been effective and they agree with the war, so they’ll vote not to impeach.That’s not the question though. The question is whether he committed impeachable acts, and the answer is yes, eight times:https://t.co/JnrtWL15Sb— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) November 9, 2026 Many Democrats – and even Republicans – have said they’d vote to impeach Trump’s so-called ‘secretary of war’. ‘I’m a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution,’ Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader who will likely become the next speaker of the House, told ABC. ‘Pete Hegseth has got to go.’ Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: JonBenet Ramsey’s brother reveals clue he believes could finally solve her murder Arrow MORE: Teenagers charged after ‘causing spinning ride to violently swing out of control’ Arrow MORE: Cruise pianist who fell overboard rescued from ocean after treading water for 10 hours News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.