House vote to remove Hegseth scheduled for Nov. 9

House Speaker Thomas Massie intends to force a vote on removing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from office when the chamber returns to session on Nov. 9. The Republican representative filed articles of impeachment in September, accusing the secretary of abusing his office by executing an order for hostilities against Iran without congressional approval. Massie told the Wall Street Journal that he plans to bring the matter to the floor shortly after the midterms.

The move places Hegseth in a rare position of facing a removal vote from both major parties. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled Democratic support for the effort earlier this month at a rally in Pennsylvania. Jeffries stated that running Hegseth out of town would be one of the first actions the party takes if it gains the majority. Other Democratic lawmakers have used sharper language. Rep. Pramila Jayapal called Hegseth incompetent and corrupt during a CNN interview. Rep. Jared Huffman described him as an unhinged fanatic who should be impeached and removed from office.

The political pressure coincides with scrutiny over Hegseth's recent travels. The defense secretary held a private meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday at Israel's Ovda air base. The session took place days before Israel's election. Two sources confirmed the meeting to Walla on Tuesday. Hegseth acknowledged the visit took place but declined to detail the conversation. According to KAN News, the primary topic of discussion was Iran.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz attended the sit-down. Other senior Israeli officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, were not invited. The meeting was described as confidential. Hegseth's absence from broader delegations and the secret nature of the meeting have drawn attention in Washington.

The timeline for the removal process is now set. The House is scheduled to reconvene on Nov. 9, the day after the midterm elections. Massie will move to place his articles on the floor. Democrats are also preparing their own procedural path to force a vote if they secure a majority. The outcome of the elections will determine which party controls the agenda for that session.

The articles of impeachment focus on the decision to engage in hostilities with Iran. Massie argues that the executive branch overstepped its authority by acting without a declaration of war or specific authorization from Congress. The defense secretary has not yet responded to the specific charges in the filed documents. The next step is a procedural vote on whether to bring the articles to the full House floor.