Hegseth Removal Vote Scheduled for Day After Midterms

A vote to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from office is scheduled for November 9, the day after the midterm elections. The date was established by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who filed articles of impeachment to compel the House to act once it returns to session.

Massie, who has criticized the administration's handling of the war in Iran, alleges that Hegseth abused his office. Specifically, he accuses the secretary of executing an order for hostilities against Iran without receiving prior approval from Congress. Massie stated that he intends to force the vote shortly after the House resumes its schedule in November.

The procedural push by Massie aligns with public commitments made by House Democrats. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated that removing Hegseth would be a priority if his party gains the majority in the upcoming elections. Speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month, Jeffries said, "One of the first things we're going to do in the majority, we're going to run Pete Hegseth out of town."

Other Democratic lawmakers have used strong language regarding the secretary's performance. Rep. Pramila Jayapal described Hegseth as "incompetent and, frankly, corrupt" during a CNN interview. Rep. Jared Huffman referred to him as an "unhinged fanatic who should be impeached and removed from office."

The political pressure builds as scrutiny increases regarding Hegseth's recent international activities. The defense secretary held a covert meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Israel's Ovda air base on Monday. This meeting took place days before Israel's own election. Two sources confirmed the visit to Walla on Tuesday.

Hegseth confirmed that the visit occurred but declined to provide specific details about the conversation. According to a report from KAN News, the primary subject of their discussion was Iran. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly attended the session. Senior IDF officials, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, were excluded from the meeting for confidentiality reasons.

The House is scheduled to return to session on November 9. The impeachment process will begin with the filing of articles, which has already been completed by Massie. The timing places the potential vote immediately following the midterm election results.