What are the impeachment articles facing Pete Hegseth?

WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. Representative Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, related to the war in Iran, President Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela and even some administration actions in Washington.

Hegseth has denied wrongdoing, and Trump has criticized Massie and pledged to stand by his secretary of defense.

Here are the eight “high crimes and misdemeanors” in the unusual Republican-led impeachment effort against a Republican official.

Iran

Three of the charges are related to the conflict in Iran. Hegseth is accused of directing, authorizing and sustaining military actions against Iran beyond a 60-day limit without a formal declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) by Congress.

A fourth Iran-related charge accuses Hegseth of ignoring laws requiring that U.S. forces minimize civilian casualties, related to a strike on a girls school in Minab on February 28, the first day of the conflict, that killed scores of children.

Venezuela

Two charges are related to Venezuela, whose president, Nicolas Maduro, was removed by U.S. forces in January 2026.

Hegseth is accused of directing the kidnapping of a sovereign foreign leader and authorizing extrajudicial lethal strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific that have resulted in more than 220 deaths.

Yemen

Hegseth is accused of directing and executing unlawful military strikes and operations in Yemen, specifically “Operation Rough Rider,” a 2025 U.S. and British air and naval campaign against Iran-aligned Houthi fighters.

Free speech

Hegseth is accused of retaliating against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, despite legal protection of his speech.

Last year, Hegseth sought to prosecute Kelly and demote him from his retired Navy captain rank after he and five other Democrats in Congress with backgrounds in the military and intelligence urged U.S. troops to refuse illegal orders.