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Republicans block bid to impeach US Defence Secretary
Published : Wednesday, 11 November, 2026 at 8:06 AM
Observer Online Report
Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have blocked an attempt to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth amid growing public anger over the Iran war, giving President Donald Trump some political relief.
The development came a week after Trump's Republican Party suffered a major setback in the midterm elections, largely reflecting voters' frustration over the war in Iran. Hegseth is among the key figures overseeing the conflict.
According to Al Jazeera, the House voted on Tuesday (November 10) to refer the impeachment charges to the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee. The move effectively stalled an effort led by Republican Representative Thomas Massie to remove Hegseth from office.
Democratic lawmakers also supported the initiative, creating an opportunity to see whether Republicans would distance themselves from the Trump administration's position on the Iran war.
The motion was approved by 211 votes to 204. Thomas Massie was the only Republican to vote against it.
The decision allows Republicans to slow down the impeachment process and avoid a direct vote on the eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth, including allegations related to the Iran war.
Following the vote, Trump said in a social media post that the Democrats' attempt to impeach Hegseth, whom he referred to as the "Secretary of War", had failed miserably. He added that every Republican except Massie had voted in Hegseth's favour, calling Massie a "big-time loser".
Regardless of Tuesday's vote, Hegseth's impeachment was considered unlikely to succeed in the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the chamber.
Massie's impeachment proposal outlined eight separate charges against Hegseth. It accused him of launching an illegal war against Iran without congressional approval. He was also accused of overseeing military strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking. Legal experts have described such attacks as potential extrajudicial killings.
Hegseth dismissed the impeachment proposal as an act of "sabotage" and a "farce". Trump and other influential members of his administration have continued to express support for him.
Polls suggest that some voters blame the Iran war for rising petrol prices and the increasing cost of essential goods. Speculation over Hegseth's position within the administration had already emerged and intensified following the Republicans' major electoral setback.
Meanwhile, outgoing Republican Senator Joni Ernst questioned Hegseth's credibility on Tuesday, asking whether he was telling the truth about the state of the war.
-MT
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, 01550707296
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