Donald Trump faces a surprising new demand from within his own party that could shake up his Cabinet. A Republican congressman explained why he believes the president must act before Congress does.
Thomas Massie says Donald Trump should fire Pete Hegseth
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) urged President Trump to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth before the House votes on his impeachment. Massie responded to a report claiming Trump considered removing the Pentagon chief after the midterm election. The president reportedly blamed Hegseth for the unpopular Iran war.
“Trump should fire Hegseth to avoid Hegseth’s impeachment. It’s the honorable thing to do,” Massie said on X. The outgoing congressman first introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September. He accused Hegseth of launching an illegal war in Iran without congressional approval.
Massie charged Hegseth with “high crimes and misdemeanors” on the House floor (via The Hill). He also accused Hegseth of abusing the powers of the Department of Defense. The Kentucky Republican previously introduced a war powers resolution to limit Trump’s military actions in Iran.
House GOP leaders delayed the impeachment vote originally scheduled for September. They pushed it to the lame-duck session to avoid controversy before the midterm elections. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) denied altering the schedule for political reasons, calling the accusations “ridiculous.”
Massie and Democrats accused Republicans of stalling the vote to protect vulnerable candidates. The congressman vowed to reintroduce the articles of impeachment during the lame-duck session. “The House recessed early to avoid the vote, so I will reintroduce Hegseth articles of impeachment when we return for the lame duck session, regardless of the outcome of the midterm election,” he said.
Massie often breaks with his party and frequently draws criticism from Trump. He lost Kentucky’s GOP primary this year to Trump-backed opponent Ed Gallrein. Rising U.S. soldier casualties in Iran fueled bipartisan concerns about the military campaign. The report about Trump considering Hegseth’s removal has not been independently verified.
