House votes 211-204 to shelve impeachment charges against Defense Secretary Hegseth
Republicans, in control until January, sent Rep. Thomas Massie's eight articles to a committee, and Trump says he would stand by Hegseth even if impeached.
The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday to send Rep. Thomas Massie's articles of against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee. That essentially ends the effort for now, because Republicans control and its committees until the new convenes in January. Massie, a Kentucky Republican, filed the eight articles on Monday.
They accuse Hegseth of unlawfully waging war in Iran and Yemen, capturing Venezuela's former president Nicolás Maduro, striking suspected drug boats and retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly. Hegseth denies the allegations. At a Pentagon press conference on Tuesday he said every operation was lawful.
President Trump has said he would stand by Hegseth even if he were impeached and called Massie a "stone-cold loser." Just the News reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the White House also stood by Hegseth, and that Speaker Mike Johnson expected the vote to fail. Democrats won control of the next Congress in the elections.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says he is a "hard yes," according to Al Jazeera. Removal would need 67 votes. Rep. Don Bacon, a Hegseth critic, said he does not agree with Massie's charges.
- 211-204House vote to refer the impeachment articles to the Judiciary CommitteeThe Independent
- eight articles of impeachmentfiled by Massie against HegsethThe Boston Globe
- 67 supermajoritySenate votes needed to remove HegsethAl Jazeera English
- 53 of the Senate's 100 seatscurrently held by RepublicansAl Jazeera English
Three sides of the story
7 news outlets reported this
Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.
Liberal5 outlets
Hegseth survives for now, with charges explained
The Independent leads with Hegseth being "spared" as House Republicans shelved the articles on the 211-204 vote. It quotes his Tuesday claim that every operation was "a lawful operation" and notes that Trump called Massie a "stone-cold loser". The Boston Globe walks through all eight articles.
It quotes Massie, "We're not him for being bad at his jobs," and Hegseth calling the effort a slanderous push by a "disgruntled and defeated congressman." Al Jazeera asks what Hegseth is accused of and whether he could be removed. It reports Jeffries as a "hard yes" and notes that Senate conviction would take 67 votes.
The New Republic turns to the Republican fallout from the midterms. It says Republicans refused to impeach Hegseth, and it quotes Sen. John Kennedy, "If you think that, congratulations, you're stupid," and Rep. David Joyce, "They can't double down on stupid."
- The Independent: Pete Hegseth spared as House GOP shelves impeachment articles
- The Boston Globe: The eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth, explained
- Al Jazeera English: Hegseth impeachment: What is he accused of, and could he be removed?
- The New Republic: Republicans Say They’re “Stupid” and “Urinating” All Over Themselves
Center0 outlets
Outlets on the center gave the story little coverage.
Conservative2 outlets
Massie's effort fails as Trump stands by Hegseth
Just the News headlines that "Massie's impeachment effort fails." It reports the 211-204 vote to refer the articles to the Judiciary Committee and says the move essentially kills the attempt "for the time being" because Republicans control every committee. It says Massie argues Hegseth lacked constitutional authority to wage war in Iran and perhaps in Yemen and Venezuela, and cites his charge about hundreds of civilians killed in boat strikes.
The report adds that Trump, the White House and Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood by Hegseth, and that Speaker Mike Johnson expected the vote to fail. A second Just the News piece looks at Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican who has been among Hegseth's most prominent detractors, largely because he fired senior military officials. Bacon says he is "not a fan of the secretary" but does not agree with Massie's charges: "I don't find myself compatible with the actual impeachment."
- Conservative outlets did not mentionDemocrats won control of the next Congress in the midterms, which could give them the power to impeach Hegseth Reported by The Independent, Al Jazeera English
- Liberal outlets did not mentionRep. Don Bacon, a Hegseth critic, said he does not agree with Massie's charges Reported by Just the News
Which side made the stronger case?
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- Deaths in drug boat strikes cited in the articles
- The Boston Globe: at least 221 people, over more than 60 strikes
- Al Jazeera English: at least 243 people, in at least 69 strikes
All sources: 11 articles from 7 outlets
Liberal (6)
- Al Jazeera English: Iran war live: Hegseth survives impeachment bid; Iran denies US talks
- Al Jazeera English: Hegseth impeachment: What is he accused of, and could he be removed?
- NPR: House effectively ends Hegseth impeachment. And, 3 men accused of plotting U.K. attacks
- The Boston Globe: The eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth, explained
- The Independent: Pete Hegseth spared as House GOP shelves impeachment articles
- The New Republic: Republicans Say They’re “Stupid” and “Urinating” All Over Themselves
Conservative (5)
- Just the News: Top Hegseth critic appears skeptical of impeachment resolution
- Just the News: Massie's impeachment effort fails against War Secretary Pete Hegseth
- Just the News: Top Hegseth critic appears skeptical of impeachment resolution
- Just the News: Massie's impeachment effort fails against War Secretary Pete Hegseth
- The American Conservative: Hegseth Survives Impeachment Effort
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