Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie has forced a House vote on impeaching Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, accusing him of "high crimes and misdemeanors" over continued US military action against Iran that Congress never formally authorised as a war. Massie used a privileged resolution, a procedural tactic that bypasses committee review, the same method he previously used to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files. The move deepens a personal rift with Hegseth, who campaigned against Massie in Kentucky's primary this year after Massie lost to a Trump-backed challenger.

Hegseth had made an unusual trip to Massie's district in May to endorse his primary rival, Ed Gallrein, accusing Massie of obstructionism and disloyalty to Donald Trump. The Pentagon dismissed the impeachment push, with press secretary Kingsley Wilson calling Hegseth a "transformative leader." Hegseth also faces criticism from House Democrats, including Ro Khanna, over his handling of the Iran conflict, the SignalGate scandal and strikes on alleged smugglers in the Caribbean. Any impeachment process would begin in the House, which Democrats are forecast to win control of in November's elections.