Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) on Tuesday introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, alleging “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

Massie accused Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires congressional authorization to conduct military operations lasting longer than 90 days.

“Peter Brian Hegseth, in his capacity as Secretary of Defense, has executed unlawful orders in contravention of Section 2(c) of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, section 1541(c) of title 50, United States Code,” the resolution reads.

“With respect to United States Armed Forces being entered into hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28, 2026, Secretary Hegseth directed and caused United States Armed Forces to be introduced into hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran notwithstanding that— (1) Congress had not declared war against the Islamic Republic of Iran; (2) Congress had not enacted any specific statutory authorization for the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran; and (3) no national emergency had been created by an attack by the
Islamic Republic of Iran upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces,” the resolution continued.

“Furthermore, no imminent attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces existed, as affirmed in the March 17, 2026 resignation letter of Joe Kent, then-Director of the
National Counterterrorism Center, in which he stated: ‘I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,'” it added.

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“The introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran therefore satisfied none of the circumstances expressly identified in section 2(c) of the War Powers
Resolution and was undertaken, from its inception, without congressional authorization or independent Article II authority, thereby rendering both the initial introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities, and all subsequent actions taken thereafter, unlawful. Secretary Hegseth nevertheless knowingly executed and implemented the order to commence such hostilities, employing the powers, personnel, weapons, and resources of the Department of Defense to initiate military action against another sovereign nation, in violation of section 1541(c) of title 50, United States Code,” it continued.

Watch Massie introduce the articles of impeachment on the House Floor:

More from the New York Post:

The lame-duck rep, 55, lost his primary election to a Trump-backed opponent in May and is reigniting the war powers debate seven weeks before the midterm elections.

Although Republicans control both chambers of Congress, the House and the Senate passed resolutions earlier this year calling on President Trump to end the Iran war, which began Feb. 28.

The White House argues the conflict ended after an initial phase of fighting, resetting the 90-day clock, and contends the War Powers Resolution unconstitutionally constrains a president’s ability to conduct foreign policy.

Attorney General Todd Blanche defended Hegseth while leading a press briefing in the Rose Garden.

“Secretary Hegseth is doing a phenomenal job, and the secretary of war doesn’t just go off and do things. He follows the law. And so the DOJ plays a role in that, and we play an active role in making sure the law is complied with,” Blanche told a Post reporter.

“You called it a war. I disagree with that characterization, as does most of Congress. And so there’s been votes on whether it’s a war and what to do.

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“Why votes through Congress, which have determined that he’s not doing anything wrong and the president’s not doing anything wrong, should result in articles of impeachment — I guess you’ll have to talk to Massie about that.”

The articles of impeachment also alleged that Hegseth ignored “laws that minimize civilian casualties,” referencing “the death or injury of more than 200 civilians at the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Hormozgan Province, Iran.”

“He did so through a scheme or course of conduct that effected the systemic deterioration and removal of Department of Defense infrastructure that Congress had mandated by law to limit collateral damage to civilians and non-military objects during military operations. While doing so, Secretary Hegseth also cultivated a warmaking culture at the Department of Defense which he boasts as being dismissive of ‘stupid rules of engagement’ with preference for ‘maximum lethality, not tepid legality.’ Such combination chilled and rendered ineffective components of the Department of Defense responsible for preventing, mitigating, and responding to civilian harm,” the resolution read.

“By directing the Department of Defense in a manner that foreseeably dismantled the safeguards necessary to distinguish civilian objects from military objectives, Secretary Hegseth thereby effected the murder of civilians and abused the trust of the men and women under his command by requiring them to conduct military operations within a targeting and legal-review system that he had deliberately degraded. This undermined the integrity and diplomacy of the United States and its Armed Forces. He thus ignored and injured the interests of the Nation,” it continued.

The articles of impeachment also alleged that Hegseth “directed the Department of Defense in a manner that resulted in the extrajudicial killings of at least 221 persons aboard seagoing vessels alleged to be smuggling narcotics in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, principally in international waters.”

“He did so through a scheme or course of conduct that chilled independent legal review within the Department of Defense, constructed a purported legal basis for the use of military force without
constitutional or statutory authorization, and displaced longstanding precedent and codified maritime law-enforcement practices that are jurisdictionally assigned to Coast Guard and law enforcement agencies, by substituting in such place the use of summary lethal force by Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps elements,” the resolution read.

“While doing so, Secretary Hegseth also oversaw orders denying quarter and failing to provide rescue, including secondary strikes against shipwrecked survivors, who were hors de combat, and the abandonment of shipwrecked survivors at sea, thereby endangering members of the our Armed Forces in future military engagements by encouraging adversaries to subject American service members to the same treatment,” it continued.

In total, Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth.

Fox News shared further:

Article six accuses Hegseth of using his authority to suppress the free speech of Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., by retaliating against the senator for his video in which the senator joined a group of other lawmakers in a video which critics claimed encourage active military members to disobey lawful orders.

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The final article charges Hegseth with carrying out unlawful orders in Yemen. The article “charges Secretary Hegseth with initiating Operation Rough Rider without congressional authorization or an imminent threat to the United States, while also violating war powers reporting requirements. It further addresses extensive civilian deaths and unlawful strikes on civilian objects, rescuers, and other protected persons.”

After reading out his articles for over an hour on the House floor, Massie closed out his introduction.

“In all of this, Secretary Hegseth abused the powers entrusted to him as Secretary of Defense by subordinating the constitutional limits on the use of military force and the laws governing the conduct of hostilities to his own policy objectives,” Massie said.

Massie also added that 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, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with his duties, and the rule of law.

This, Massie said, “warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.”

Watch additional footage of Massie reading the articles of impeachment below:

Read the full resolution HERE.

 

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