Hegseth faces removal vote on Nov. 9 as Massie files articles

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will face a House vote on his removal from office on November 9, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The date falls one day after the midterm elections and the week the House returns to session. The vote is being pushed by a bipartisan coalition that includes a key Republican defection and a unified Democratic front.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, filed articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September. Massie accused the secretary of abusing his office by ordering hostilities against Iran without Congressional approval. Massie has stated he intends to force the vote shortly after the House reconvenes. This move puts the secretary on a specific timeline for a potential ouster.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has signaled that Democrats will move quickly if they gain the majority in the November elections. Speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month, Jeffries said the party would run Hegseth out of town as one of its first acts in a majority. The statement clarified the party's intent to prioritize the impeachment process.

Other Democratic lawmakers have used strong language to describe Hegseth. Rep. Pramila Jayapal called him incompetent and corrupt during an interview with CNN. Rep. Jared Huffman described the secretary as an unhinged fanatic who should be impeached and removed from office. These comments reflect the party's stance ahead of the vote.

The political pressure coincides with Hegseth's recent overseas activities. The secretary held a covert meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Israel's Ovda air base on Monday. This visit occurred days before Israel's election. Hegseth confirmed the meeting took place but did not elaborate on the details of their conversation.

According to a report from KAN News, the main topic of the discussion at the Ovda base was Iran. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly attended the meeting. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior Israeli officials were not invited for confidentiality reasons. The visit adds a foreign policy dimension to the domestic fight over Hegseth's role.