Republican lawmakers block Hegseth impeachment, sparing Pentagon chief for now

Republican lawmakers voted Tuesday to block an impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, sending it to committee and delaying any vote until January. The move spares Hegseth for now, with Democrats set to take control of Congress next year. The resolution was introduced Monday by outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who has frequently criticized Donald Trump. Hegseth faces accusations of legal violations, including in his handling of the war against Iran, which Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance have blamed for their midterm defeat on November 3. Trump celebrated the outcome, calling Hegseth a "great patriot" and praising him as deserving "A PLUS PLUS PLUS." The Pentagon spokesperson called the impeachment attempt "baseless," while Hegseth dismissed it as a "political staging." Democrats could revive the procedure after taking office in January.