Hegseth Removal Drive Accelerates as Massie Targets Nov. 9 Vote

House Democrats are preparing to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with plans to move forward as soon as the party secures a strong position in the upcoming midterm elections. The strategy relies on a specific timeline that aligns with the House returning to session.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the timing is critical. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie intends to force an impeachment vote shortly after the House reconvenes on Nov. 9. That date falls one week after the elections on Nov. 3, creating a narrow window for legislative action before the new session fully settles.

The push for removal gained momentum when Massie filed articles of impeachment in September. He accused Hegseth of abusing his office by ordering hostilities against Iran without Congressional approval. Massie has been a vocal critic of both the war in Iran and American aid to Israel. His filing provides the procedural basis for the vote Democrats are now organizing.

Democratic leaders have been explicit about their goals for a new majority. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke at a rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month. He stated, "One of the first things we're going to do in the majority, we're going to run Pete Hegseth out of town." Other members have used stronger language in recent media appearances.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal described Hegseth as "incompetent and, frankly, corrupt" during a CNN interview. Rep. Jared Huffman called him an "unhinged fanatic who should be impeached and removed from office." These comments reflect the level of frustration within the party regarding the current defense leadership.

The political pressure coincides with recent scrutiny over Hegseth's overseas activities. On Monday, the defense secretary held a secret meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Israel's Ovda air base. The meeting occurred days before Israel's election. Reuters reported that Hegseth confirmed the visit but declined to share details of their conversation.

According to KAN News, the primary topic of discussion was Iran. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly attended the meeting. Senior Israeli officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, were not invited for confidentiality reasons.