United States: A Republican congressman began impeachment proceedings against Pete Hegseth, Trump’s Secretary of Defense, over the war in Iran

The war with Iranwhich increased the price of fuel and the cost of living in USAwas one of the great concerns of Americans when voting last Tuesday. own Trump He acknowledged that it was one of the reasons why the Republicans were devastated at the polls.

Massie is a Republican, but he is a longtime critic of Trump who will retire from Congress at the end of the year. presented 8 charges against Hegseth and a vote is expected on the House floor this week, although it is still in the hands of the Republicans until the new majority takes over, the January 3.

He first article “accuses Secretary Hegseth of waging war with Iran despite not having declared war, without legal authorization“, nor that there had been an attack on the United States or an imminent threat,” Massie’s press release noted. “It establishes that the war was illegal from its beginning.”

He article 1 of the Constitution It says that Congress has the power to declare war. However, the last time Congress formally declared war was in the Second World War.

The War Powers Resolution establishes that whenever the army is used and war has not been declared, the president must formally notify the speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senate within a period of two days. The president must also end the use of armed forces within 60 days if he uses the military without prior notification to Congress, according to the resolution.

The articles of impeachment that Massie filed also include charges related to alleged “extrajudicial killings“, in reference to the attacks against alleged anti-drug ships in the Caribbean and in the Pacific. Also for “kidnapping of a foreign sovereign leader”, in reference to the capture by the United States of the then former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro; and “illegal war in Yemen.”

While reading the articles of impeachment on the House floor, Massie alleged that Hegseth had “abused” of his powers as Secretary of Defense and that he had “knowingly executed and executed illegal orders” by carrying out attacks against Iran. The congressman said Hegseth “will continue to be a threat to the constitution if he is allowed to remain in office.”

Hegseth said he will hold a news conference Tuesday morning to address efforts to remove him. When asked by reporters if he has enough republican support to defeat impeachment, Hegseth said, “We’re not worried about that.”

“Tomorrow we will hold a press conference at the Pentagon on that very topic,” he continued. “So I’ll keep my comments here. I hope everyone comes with patience with their questions.”

The Pentagon spokesman, Joel Valdezrated the articles of the impeachment “vindictive and baseless” in a statement Monday and said the agency would “go on the offensive” to counter the attempt.

In a social media video last week, Hegseth had called Massie a “defeated and disaffected congressman” and denounced the recall effort as a “farce“.

Yesterday, the minority leader in the House, Hakeem JeffriesDemocrat New Yorksaid he was pronouncing a “resounding yes” to supporting impeachment efforts against the secretary.

Hegseth “has abused his power, undermined our national security and orchestrated this reckless and costly election war in Iran, which has prices skyrocketed for the American people and has made the country less safe,” Jeffries said Sunday.

Massie has portrayed the effort as an attempt to tarnish Hegseth’s legacy and force his ouster. Still, it is highly unlikely that the vote will result in a condemn in it Senate controlled by the Republicans.

However, as a prevention, the Trump administration has pressured Republicans to oppose the vote, circulating arguments this week arguing that Hegseth’s role in leading the war against Iran is not grounds for impeachment and could discourage future defense secretaries from executing presidential orders.