How a US defence secretary can be impeached and removed from office

The US House of Representatives voted 211-204 on Tuesday to refer an impeachment resolution against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee, blocking the immediate push to remove him. The vote handed Hegseth a political reprieve, with Republicans largely closing ranks to protect a key Trump Cabinet member. The impeachment effort was led by Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who introduced eight articles of impeachment alleging Hegseth exceeded his authority in military operations in Iran, Yemen, Venezuela and the Caribbean. Had the House approved the articles by simple majority, the Senate would have held a trial requiring a two-thirds vote for conviction and removal. Hegseth dismissed the proceedings as a political exercise, while Trump celebrated the vote as exoneration. Only two cabinet secretaries have been impeached in US history: Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 and William Belknap in 1876, both of whom avoided conviction in the Senate.