Republicans block attempt to impeach US defence secretary Pete Hegseth

8 hours ago The News Room

Republicans in the United States House of Representatives have blocked an effort to impeach defence secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war, handing President Donald Trump a victory days after his party’s crushing midterm election defeat.

The House voted 211 to 204 to send the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee, effectively derailing a planned vote later on Wednesday on whether to bring formal charges against the embattled Pentagon chief.

Hegseth had denounced the push to impeach him as a “farce” and defended his record leading the Iran war and other military operations under President Donald Trump.

Hegseth’s combative performance came as Congress inched toward a rare vote on impeachment over alleged misconduct related to wars against Iran and Houthis in Yemen, and the controversial killing of alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.