Representative Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The charges allege high crimes and misdemeanors related to executive power overreach, unauthorized military action, and violations of domestic and international law.
Overview of the 8 Articles of Impeachment
Articles I, II, & III: Unlawful Initiation and Conduct of War (Iran)Accuses Hegseth of initiating and conducting unauthorized military hostilities against Iran without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization from Congress, in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
Article IV: Minimizing Civilian Protections & Civilian Casualties Charges Hegseth with ignoring laws and military doctrine designed to minimize civilian casualties during military operations.
Article V: Illegal Targeting Rules & Extrajudicial Operations Alleges that Hegseth established illegal rules of engagement—such as using loose targeting categories (e.g., “Designated Terrorist Organizations”) without required positive identification or congressional authority—leading to unauthorized lethal strikes.
Article VI: Denial of Quarter & Failure to RescueAccuses Hegseth of overseeing orders that resulted in the denial of quarter and the failure to provide timely rescue for shipwrecked individuals during maritime strike operations, violating international law of armed conflict.
Article VII: Subversion of Legal Oversight within the Department of Defense Charges Hegseth with bypassing and constraining independent legal objections from within the Department of Defense to force through unlawful strike authorities.
Article VIII: Retaliation and Retaliatory Actions Alleges abuse of power through retaliatory administrative actions against officials and lawmakers (including targeted reviews of military personnel/lawmakers) who questioned the legality of military operations or criticized Defense Department leadership.
Earlier in 2026, House Democrats had also drafted articles of impeachment against Hegseth regarding executive management and oversight of military operations.
UPDATE: The Articles failed in the US House of Representatives.
