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By Jennifer Radcliffe
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A motion to refer Republican Representative Thomas Massie’s eight articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth failed by a 211-204 vote Tuesday, meaning the effort will not advance to the Senate for consideration.
Eleven Democrats did not cast votes Tuesday, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representatives Haley Stevens of Michigan and Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico. Democratic absences proved larger than the final margin, though seven Republicans also did not vote.
California Democrat Sydney Kamlager-Dove told reporters after the vote that she was disappointed that low turnout impacted the vote.
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"People should have gotten their raggedy selves up these steps to vote. There is no reason why we should have lost this vote because of attendance issues," she said, criticizing Hegseth for spending $100 million to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War.
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U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury from New Mexico took to X to explain her absence.
"Like other Members of Congress, Rep. Stansbury was blocked from entering the Capitol to vote due a traffic incident and a police escort of a bus during the vote. When she reached the chamber the vote had just gaveled out. She immediately filed a report of her vote of “NO” to the motion meant to kill the impeachment articles and refer them to the Judiciary Committee, as documented in the Congressional Record," the statement on X reads.
The 11 Democrats Who Didn't Vote:
Julia Brownley (California)
J. Luis Correa (California)
Laura Gillen (New York)
Steven Horsford (Nevada)
Jonathan Jackson (Illinois)
Nancy Pelosi (California)
Brittany Pettersen (Colorado)
Melanie Stansbury (New Mexico)
Haley Stevens (Michigan)
Marilyn Strickland (Washington)
Frederica Wilson (Florida)
The seven Republicans who didn't vote:
Monica De La Cruz (Texas)
Neal Dunn (Florida)
Russell Fry (South Carolina)
Julia Letlow (Louisiana)
Tom Tiffany (Wisconsin)
Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin)
Rudy Yakym III (Indiana)
What Massie's Articles Allege
Massie brought eight impeachment articles against Hegseth, three of which allege Hegseth violated the 1973 War Powers Resolution, an act that limits the White House's power to use the U.S. military in foreign wars without congressional approval.
Massie also alleges Hegseth disregarded laws that keep civilian casualties to a minimum, suppressing free speech and of ordering "extrajudicial killings" through U.S. attacks on alleged drug boats in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. At least 240 people have been killed in these strikes since September 2025.
A further two articles accuse Hegseth of "kidnapping" a sovereign foreign leader, referring to the capture of Venezuela's former President Nicolás Maduro, and directing an "unlawful war" in Yemen.
Massie had brought impeachment articles against Hegseth in September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson quickly recessed the chamber without a vote taking place, meaning Republicans did not have to pass public judgment on Hegseth's leadership of the Pentagon ahead of this week's elections.
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What Happens Next?
Tuesday's failed vote effectively ends this impeachment effort.
Members who miss a vote are recorded as "Not Voting." They can submit statements indicating how they would have voted, but those statements do not alter the official tally or outcome.
In addition to the Kentucky Republicans' push, Democratic Representative Maxwell Frost of Florida has said he has drafted separate articles of impeachment against Hegseth and could pursue them when Democrats assume control of the House in January. Democratic leaders have also signaled continued scrutiny of the defense secretary.
Expected by many to become the new House speaker, Hakeem Jeffries recently said Democrats would "run Pete Hegseth out of town," underscoring the likelihood that Hegseth will remain a target of congressional investigations and potential future impeachment efforts despite Tuesday's vote.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Anna Commander and Edward T. Cummins
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