US House Blocks Impeachment Effort Against Defense Secretary Hegseth
The US House of Representatives rejected a procedural vote to initiate impeachment proceedings against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by a vote of 211 to 204. The absence of 11 Democratic members proved decisive in the vote.
In a vote held on November 10, 2026, the US House of Representatives rejected a procedural motion to refer articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee by a vote of 211 to 204. The motion, introduced by Republican Representative Thomas Massie, alleged that Hegseth had committed 'high crimes and misdemeanors' citing his military activities in Iran, Yemen, the Caribbean, and Venezuela.
The outcome of the vote was determined by the absence of 11 Democratic representatives from the session. The members who were absent included Nancy Pelosi, Julia Brownley, Lou Correa, Laura Gillen, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Brittany Pettersen, Melanie Stansbury, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, and Frederica Wilson. A spokesperson for Pelosi stated that she was in San Francisco for a veterans' event and would have voted against the motion had she been present. Melanie Stansbury reported that she was prevented from entering the House due to a traffic accident and a bus escort.
President Donald Trump expressed his satisfaction with the result, characterizing the impeachment attempt as a failure. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied the allegations against him, maintaining that his military actions were conducted within a legal framework. With the rejection of the motion, the impeachment process has effectively been halted.