Republicans Block Hegseth Impeachment, Protecting Trump's Defense Chief

The House voted 211-204 to refer impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to committee, effectively killing the effort and sparing him a floor vote. The move came after Republican leaders and White House officials worked to derail the initiative brought by GOP Rep. Thomas Massie. Only Massie joined Democrats in opposing the referral. The eight articles included allegations of launching military operations without congressional authorization, violating civilian casualty laws, and retaliating against a senator. President Trump celebrated the outcome on Truth Social, calling Massie a "major LOSER" and declaring Hegseth exonerated. Hegseth defended his record at a Pentagon briefing, saying he stood behind every operation. However, Democrats will control both chambers in the next Congress, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled he is a "hard yes" on future impeachment efforts, posing a significant risk ahead.