US House Republicans Defeat Impeachment Resolution Targeting Defense Secretary

House Republicans have successfully blocked an impeachment resolution targeting US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Lawmakers voted to kill the measure by referring it to the judiciary committee after top Democrats announced their support for the text.

The 34-page resolution was introduced by Representative Thomas Massie, who read the document aloud on the House floor with a primary focus on military operations involving Iran. Defense Secretary Hegseth dismissed the initiative as a political spectacle designed to establish a show trial, asserting that the articles of impeachment attacked the military personnel who executed his commands rather than himself alone.

Hegseth maintained that every military operation referenced in the articles remained entirely lawful. He stated that the actions—encompassing strikes in Iran and Yemen, operations against alleged drug vessels, and the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro—were authorized by President Donald Trump and formally reported to Congress.

In a separate political development, House Republicans elected Representative Jim Jordan as their new conference leader following recent midterm elections. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly relocated from his Washington-area residence to a military base due to an Iranian threat against his life, according to the New York Times. Bessent has directed the US sanctions and economic pressure initiative against Iran, designated Operation Economic Outcast, since August.