US House of Representatives Republicans derail attempt to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

The chamber voted 211 to 204 in favor of a motion to refer the impeachment charges to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, effectively stopping the effort to impeach Hegseth.

Republicans in the US House of Representatives banded together on Tuesday to derail an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, buying more time for the polarizing Pentagon chief before Democrats take control of Congress next year and possibly try again. 

The chamber voted 211 to 204 in favor of a motion to refer the impeachment charges to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, effectively stopping the effort to impeach Hegseth sponsored by Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie.

Massie was the only Republican who voted against the motion.

Massie said he was disappointed by the vote, comparing Republicans to passengers content to go down with the Titanic.

"They know it's a sinking ship but committed to stay on board," he said.

US President Donald Trump reacted to the failed attempt at impeachment, calling Massie a "major loser" in a post on Truth Social and accusing the Democrats of continuing to "weaponize and abuse the United States of America."

Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday, accusing him of violating the Constitution and conducting an unauthorized war against Iran.

In a statement accompanying the resolution, Massie accused Hegseth of conducting military operations in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, declaring that the defense secretary is “breaking the law and must be held accountable.”

Hegseth says impeachment attempt is politically motivated

On Tuesday, Hegseth said that the resolution to impeach him was politically motivated and displayed to the US's enemies, including Iran, that the US will punish its "warriors" for lawful military actions. 

Hegseth condemned Massie's decision, saying that the impeachment efforts tell US "enemies, Iran, the cartels, every adversary watching, that the United States will actually punish its own warriors and its own civilian leadership for successfully executing lawful military operations."

Idan Kweller, Danya Saperstein, and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.