House rejects GOP-led effort to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth

The U.S. House on Tuesday rejected a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, blocking an effort to remove him over his conduct and handling of the war in Iran. The vote followed Republican midterm losses partly blamed on the conflict. The impeachment effort, led by Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie and backed by Democrats, included eight counts focusing on the Iran war, strikes in Yemen and Venezuela, and alleged unlawful orders. President Donald Trump strongly supported Hegseth, and GOP lawmakers largely stood by him, with House Speaker Mike Johnson calling it a "political gambit." Democrats are set to take control of the House and Senate in January, potentially reviving the impeachment push. Hegseth defended his record, calling the effort "sabotage" and arguing the concerns were policy disagreements, not impeachable offenses. No defense secretary has been impeached in U.S. history.