WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Republican US Representative Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, related to the war in Iran, President Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela and even some administration actions in Washington.
Hegseth has denied wrongdoing, and Trump has criticized Massie and pledged to stand by his secretary of defense.
Here are the eight “high crimes and misdemeanors” in the unusual Republican-led impeachment effort against a Republican official.
IRAN
Three of the charges are related to the conflict in Iran. Hegseth is accused of directing, authorizing and sustaining military actions against Iran beyond a 60-day limit without a formal declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) by Congress.
A fourth Iran-related charge accuses Hegseth of ignoring laws requiring that US forces minimize civilian casualties, related to a strike on a girls school in Minab on February 28, the first day of the conflict, that killed scores of children.
VENEZUELA
Two charges are related to Venezuela, whose president, Nicolas Maduro, was removed by US forces in January 2026.
Hegseth is accused of directing the kidnapping of a sovereign foreign leader and authorizing extrajudicial lethal strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific that have resulted in more than 220 deaths.
YEMEN
Hegseth is accused of directing and executing unlawful military strikes and operations in Yemen, specifically “Operation Rough Rider,” a 2025 US and British air and naval campaign against Iran-aligned Houthi fighters.
FREE SPEECH
Hegseth is accused of retaliating against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, despite legal protection of his speech.
Last year, Hegseth sought to prosecute Kelly and demote him from his retired Navy captain rank after he and five other Democrats in Congress with backgrounds in the military and intelligence urged US troops to refuse illegal orders.
(Reporting by Patricia ZengerleEditing by Nick Zieminski)
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