Massie Gives Hegseth Ultimatum: Resign or Face Impeachment Vote

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday night that he can resign or face impeachment in the final stretch of the 119th Congress, the Washington Examiner reported.

Massie had already said he would force a House vote on impeachment articles when the House returns after the midterms. He has reportedly said he would not reintroduce them if Hegseth steps down. Headlines on the Examiner's coverage say Massie released eight impeachment charges and that Speaker Mike Johnson called the effort "a publicity stunt." Those details come from headlines only; the article is paywalled and we could not read them in full.

The ultimatum lands as Republicans argue over why they lost Tuesday. Vice President JD Vance wrote, "The reason we lost is the war," and Donald Trump Jr. publicly agreed, according to the Examiner's live coverage. Sen. Ted Cruz offered a different diagnosis, saying the party underestimated voters' top concern, the cost of living: "They didn't understand."

Fox News reported that Hegseth's future is drawing ominous predictions from insiders but that Trump isn't budging yet. Democrats, for their part, have said they will go after the administration with investigations, and the Senate Homeland Security Committee posted three investigator jobs within 24 hours.

Whatever the merits of Massie's charges, an impeachment push led by a Republican gives Democrats cover for the oversight blitz they were already planning. Trump has warned Democrats against impeaching Hegseth if they win the House.