House blocks Hegseth impeachment; Democrats plan January revival

The US House of Representatives, still controlled by Republicans, voted 211-204 to block impeachment proceedings against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, effectively shelving the accusations. The motion, which transferred the charges to the Judiciary Committee, was supported by all Republicans except Representative Thomas Massie, who initiated the effort. Democrats backed the impeachment push, but eleven of their members abstained from voting, preventing the measure from advancing. Hegseth now has nearly two months before Democrats, who won the Midterm elections, take control of Congress in January and can potentially revive the impeachment effort. President Donald Trump celebrated the outcome on social media, calling Hegseth "a great patriot" and citing successes in Venezuela and Iran. Massie accused Hegseth of conducting war in Iran without congressional authorization, extrajudicial executions, and illegally seizing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.