The US House of Representatives has voted 211-204 to block an effort to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, sending the articles of impeachment to the House Judiciary Committee, where they are likely to remain for the rest of this Congress.

The vote, held on Tuesday, was not on whether to impeach Hegseth. It was a procedural move to refer the eight articles to the Republican-led committee instead of allowing a full House vote on the charges. The referral passed largely along party lines, with 210 Republicans and one independent voting in favour, and 203 Democrats plus one Republican voting against.

01. How the vote was decided

The articles were introduced by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, but the effort was backed mainly by Democrats. Massie was the only Republican to vote against the referral.

Eighteen representatives were absent from the vote, including 11 Democrats and seven Republicans. Among the missing Democrats was former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was in San Francisco for a veterans event. Had eight of the absent Democrats voted with their colleagues, the procedural move would have failed, forcing a full House vote on impeachment as early as this week.

02. What Hegseth was accused of

The eight articles accused Hegseth of misconduct in overseeing US military operations in Iran, Venezuela and Yemen. The central charge was that the US war on Iran was carried out without a formal declaration of war or approval from Congress. The articles also alleged violations of civilian-protection laws and retaliation against a US senator.

Hegseth called the effort a farce and defended his record at the Pentagon hours before the vote, winning praise from President Donald Trump, who called him a “great patriot”. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell declared a “total victory” after the vote.

03. What happens next

The referral effectively ends the impeachment push for this Congress, whose term ends in eight weeks. Democrats take control of the House and Senate on January 3, and party leaders have signalled they may revive the effort then, including an investigation into Hegseth’s role in the war on Iran.

04. Key takeaways

  • The House voted 211-204 to refer eight impeachment articles against Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee.
  • Thomas Massie, who introduced the articles, was the only Republican to oppose the move.
  • Eleven absent Democrats proved decisive: eight more votes would have defeated the referral.
  • Democrats may revive the impeachment effort when they take control of Congress in January.

05. FAQs

Was Pete Hegseth impeached?
No. The House never voted on the charges themselves. It voted to send the articles to committee, which blocks a full impeachment vote for now.

Who introduced the impeachment articles?
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky. The push was backed mainly by Democrats.

Can Democrats try again?
Yes. Democrats take control of the House and Senate on January 3, and party leaders have said they may revive the effort.