WASHINGTON — Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, introduced a privileged House resolution impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for high crimes and misdemeanors — a move that, under House rules, forces the chamber to act within two legislative days and puts Republicans on the record over the Iran war weeks before the midterms.

Massie’s official text, titled “Impeaching Peter Brian Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, for high crimes and misdemeanors,” lays out eight articles. Articles I–III allege Hegseth executed unlawful orders in contravention of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 — including Section 2(c)’s limits on introducing forces into hostilities without a declaration of war, specific statutory authorization, or a qualifying national emergency; Section 5(c) concurrent-resolution withdrawal; and Section 5(b)’s 60-day clock — while Congress has voted on war-powers measures seeking to end U.S. hostilities with Iran.

“By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable,” Massie said in a statement after reading the resolution on the House floor, according to The Guardian. He also accused Hegseth of abusing office “to ignore congressional war powers resolutions, to kidnap foreign leaders, and to intimidate critics … by retaliating against them for exercising free speech.”

Article IV alleges Hegseth directed the Defense Department in a manner that resulted in the death or injury of more than 200 civilians at Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Hormozgan Province, Iran, and that he cultivated a culture dismissive of “stupid rules of engagement.” Article V alleges “extrajudicial killings” of at least 221 persons aboard vessels alleged to be smuggling narcotics in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. Article VI alleges retaliation against Sen. Mark Kelly for criticism of Hegseth. Articles VII–VIII target the Maduro capture operation in Venezuela and hostilities in Yemen.

Axios reported Massie did not give GOP leaders a heads-up; the effort is a long shot in a Republican-controlled House, but leaders could move to table rather than take an up-or-down vote. Massie lost his primary earlier this year after Trump and Hegseth urged voters to oppose him. House Democrats previously introduced separate articles against Hegseth in April. Hegseth’s office did not immediately respond to press queries cited by outlets covering the floor action.

Congress’s war power is not a courtesy memo for the executive branch. A privileged impeachment resolution is how a single member can force the House to say out loud whether it still claims that power — or whether it will table and move on while the wars keep running.

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