The U.S. House of Representatives moved toward a vote on the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Under Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution, Congress holds the authority to remove "all civil Officers of the United States," a category that includes Cabinet secretaries, for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." While impeachment is frequently associated with the presidency, the procedural mechanics for Cabinet members follow a similar path of formal accusation followed by a Senate trial.
The impeachment process begins in the House, where a resolution is introduced or a committee investigates allegations of misconduct. If the House approves articles of impeachment by a simple majority vote, the official is considered impeached. This action serves as a formal charge rather than a conviction or immediate removal from office. The process then moves to the Senate, which is responsible for conducting a trial to determine if the official should be removed from their position.
Unlike presidential impeachments, where the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is constitutionally required to preside over the Senate trial, the Constitution does not explicitly state who oversees proceedings for a Cabinet secretary. An impeached secretary may continue to perform their official duties while the Senate considers the charges. To achieve a conviction and removal from office, the Senate must reach a two-thirds majority vote, a higher threshold than the simple majority required in the House.
For the individual official and the department they lead, the day-to-day impact involves a period of legal and political uncertainty. Because an impeached secretary remains in office during the Senate trial, their authority to issue orders or set policy continues unless or until a two-thirds Senate majority votes to convict. Historically, this process has been rare; before the current proceedings, only Secretary of War William W. Belknap in 1876 and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 faced House impeachment. In both prior instances, the officials were not removed by the Senate.
The outcome of this vote establishes how Congress defines "high crimes and misdemeanors," a term that has no strict legal definition and has historically addressed abuses of power or breaches of public trust. A House vote to impeach would trigger a formal trial in the Senate. The specific date for a Senate trial or a final verdict has not been reported. If the Senate were to convict, the immediate result would be the vacancy of the Secretary of Defense position, requiring a new appointment and confirmation process. At this time, the House remains the primary focus as it prepares for its vote.