Republican leaders have ended the House’s legislative week early, postponing a mandatory vote on Rep. Thomas Massie’s effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The U.S. House of Representatives will leave Washington early ahead of the November midterm elections, delaying consideration of a Republican lawmaker’s impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
House leaders canceled votes scheduled for Thursday, meaning the chamber will not immediately act on a resolution introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. The House is expected to take up the measure after lawmakers return on November 9, according to NBC News.nbcnews
Massie filed the resolution as a “privileged” measure on Tuesday. Under House rules, that designation requires lawmakers to address it within two legislative days. The cancellation of Thursday’s voting session effectively moved the deadline beyond Election Day.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, rejected the impeachment effort and described it as a publicity-driven move. He defended Hegseth’s performance and argued that Congress should not engage in what he characterized as political maneuvering over national security while the United States is involved in international conflicts.nbcnews
Johnson also said the House’s early adjournment was unrelated to the impeachment resolution. He said Republican lawmakers needed to return to their districts to campaign and present their record to voters.
The decision comes as Republicans seek to protect a very narrow majority in the House. Delaying the vote could prevent vulnerable members from having to take a difficult position on Hegseth’s leadership before the midterm elections. NBC News reported that some Republican lawmakers have expressed unease over Hegseth’s record during the six-month conflict with Iran, although GOP leaders publicly denied that political concerns influenced the schedule.nbcnews
Massie has repeatedly clashed with Johnson, President Donald Trump and Hegseth over U.S. military operations in Iran. He has supported several war-powers measures aimed at limiting the administration’s military actions in Iran and Venezuela.
On Tuesday, Massie unexpectedly took to the House floor to read his impeachment resolution. He accused Hegseth of posing a continuing threat to the Constitution and alleged that the secretary’s conduct was incompatible with his official responsibilities and the rule of law. Those allegations remain claims made by Massie and were not established by the report as findings accepted by the House.nbcnews
Johnson said the resolution would likely be tabled when lawmakers return, a procedural move that would effectively end the impeachment effort.
The House is scheduled to reconvene on November 9, while the Senate is expected to remain in session for the following three weeks. The next formal step will therefore depend on how House leaders handle Massie’s resolution after the election and whether the chamber proceeds to a vote or uses parliamentary procedures to dispose of it.nbcnews
KEY FACTS:
● The House canceled votes scheduled for Thursday and left Washington early before the November midterm elections.
● Rep. Thomas Massie’s privileged impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was postponed until after Election Day.
● Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the resolution and indicated that it would likely be tabled when the House returns.
SOURCES:
● NBC News — Speaker Johnson sends House home early, delaying Hegseth impeachment vote until after midterms
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