Representative Thomas Massie filed a privileged impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday. By Wednesday night, the House had left Washington and Speaker Mike Johnson had canceled all votes for Thursday. The result is that the first congressional test of Hegseth’s tenure will not occur until after the November elections, when the House returns on November 9.
A Privileged Resolution and a Two-Day Clock
Massie, a Kentucky Republican, read his resolution on the House floor without warning. The procedural designation he used, privileged, compels House action within two legislative days. That timeline pointed to a vote no later than Thursday. But Republican leaders scrapped Thursday’s schedule, and the chamber emptied out Wednesday evening.
The maneuver effectively pauses the matter. When the House reconvenes on November 9, the resolution will still be pending. GOP leaders have denied that the calendar change was tied to the impeachment measure, but the practical effect is a delay of weeks.
Johnson's Response: 'Ridiculous' and 'a Publicity Stunt'
Speaker Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, did not mince words. He called Massie’s effort ridiculous and a publicity stunt. He said the measure would be tabled, a move that would kill it. Johnson also defended Hegseth, saying the Defense Secretary has done an extraordinary job and that there would be no games with national security.
Johnson added that it was time for members to go home and campaign. He pointed to the largest middle- and working-class tax cut and a violent crime rate at a 126-year low as reasons Republicans should be on the trail. The Speaker is fighting to preserve a thin GOP majority, and vulnerable members have been uneasy about Hegseth, particularly over an unpopular six-month war with Iran.
Massie's Case and His History of Clashes
Massie, who has served in Congress since 2012, framed his resolution as a constitutional necessity. He said Hegseth poses a threat to the Constitution and has acted in a manner incompatible with his duties. It is the latest in a series of breaks with his party. Massie has repeatedly clashed with GOP leaders, President Donald Trump, and Hegseth over the Iran war. He voted for Iran war powers resolutions, a stance that put him at odds with the administration.
That friction had electoral consequences. Trump’s political team recruited Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL, to challenge Massie in the primary. Hegseth campaigned for Gallrein one day before the May primary. Massie lost that race.
What Happens Next
The House will not return until November 9. The Senate remains in session for three weeks. When the House comes back, the impeachment resolution will be waiting. If Johnson makes good on his plan to table it, the measure dies. If not, Republicans will have to take a recorded vote on Hegseth’s conduct, a prospect many would rather avoid before Election Day.
For now, the delay has done what the calendar often does in Washington: it has postponed a difficult decision. The question of whether Hegseth should be impeached will hang over the chamber through the fall campaign.
