Peter „Pete“ Brian Hegseth (* 6. Juni 1980 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) ist ein US-amerikanischer Politiker der Republikanischen Partei, ehemaliger Fernsehkommentator, Autor und Ex-Major der Heeres-Nationalgarde. Seit Januar 2025 ist er Verteidigungsminister im zweiten Kabinett von Donald Trump und wird von der Exekutive seit dem 5. September 2025 als Zweitbezeichnung „Kriegsminister“ (Secretary of War) genannt.
A lone rebel, a tight vote, and a defense secretary fighting his way through: what really happened in the House of Representatives on Tuesday:
The lights in the Capitol’s plenary chamber were still on when the vote concluded. 211 to 204—a razor-thin majority that halted a push by Republican Thomas Massie against Pete Hegseth. Instead of voting on the eight articles of impeachment themselves, the representatives referred the resolution to the Judiciary Committee. This effectively ended any attempt to oust the Secretary of Defense during the current session of Congress.
Massie had introduced the articles on Monday and forced a debate on Tuesday. The congressman from Kentucky—who lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger and will leave Congress at the end of the year—stood alone; no other Republican joined him. The charges centered primarily on the war with Iran: violations of the War Powers Resolution, the continuation of combat operations despite congressional resolutions and the expiration of statutory deadlines, civilian casualties (including a strike on an elementary school), the boarding of vessels suspected of carrying drugs, the apprehension of Nicolás Maduro, and actions taken against Senator Mark Kelly.
As preparations for the vote were underway at the Capitol, Hegseth appeared before cameras at the Pentagon—his first extended press conference in months. In a calm yet firm voice, he dismissed the accusations, describing Massie’s effort not as an exercise of oversight, but as a “political spectacle”—a “personal manifesto driven by ego and resentment.” He emphasized that never in the history of the Republic had a Secretary of Defense been impeached for carrying out lawful operations, adding that he stood by every one of those operations—and would “do them again tomorrow.”
The vote itself fell largely along party lines. Massie was the only Republican to vote against the referral. On the Democratic side, several representatives were absent, including Nancy Pelosi. That same evening, President Trump celebrated the outcome on Truth Social, calling Massie a “major LOSER” and describing it as an “exoneration” of Hegseth.
For Hegseth, this offers a brief respite. The midterm elections a week ago cost the Republicans their majority in both chambers; starting in January, the Democrats will hold the upper hand. Whether they will reopen the case remains an open question—what is certain is that the pressure on the Secretary of Defense will not subside. This Tuesday evening, the Capitol was defined by a rare blend of partisan discipline and the awareness that the balance of power has already shifted.
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