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Days after US President Donald Trump’s party suffered a drastic midterm defeat, a Republican lawmaker has made a move to impeach US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war in Iran, triggering a vote in the House of Representatives as early as this week.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has submitted on Monday eight articles of impeachment accusing Hegseth of abusing his powers and illegally waging war on Iran.
He also cited the school attack launched in the early days of the war that began in late February, in which a US strike killed 120 children.
Massie is using a special procedure that requires the House to consider his resolution within two days, meaning the vote could take place as early as Wednesday in the currently Republican-controlled House, with some lawmakers potentially joining Democrats in backing the charges.
Hegseth had “knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders” by waging war without congressional approval, Massie said on the House floor.
Trump continues to give unwavering support to Hegseth
Although impeachment would be a humiliating blow to the Trump administration, the US president continued to back Hegseth on Monday, saying he would stand by him if he were impeached.
Trump said that Hegseth had done a “good job” and had “won” wars in Iran and Venezuela, referring to the illegal capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Even if Hegseth is impeached, he would not automatically be removed from office, as conviction and removal would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate, a much tougher hurdle, even after Democrats take control on 3 January.
The Republicans’ recent election defeat has caused divisions within the party, potentially leading some lawmakers to abstain from voting and making it easier for the impeachment resolution to pass.
Additional sources • AFP