One Day After Midterms: The Date Set for the Hegseth Removal Vote

The House of Representatives is set to return to session on November 9, the day after the midterm elections. On that date, a vote to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from office is expected to take place, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal published Friday.

Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who filed articles of impeachment in September, intends to force this vote immediately upon the chamber's return. Massie, a vocal critic of the war in Iran, accused Hegseth of abusing his power by ordering hostilities against Iran without congressional approval. The timing places the procedural battle directly in the immediate aftermath of the election results.

House Democrats are also preparing for a swift action if they secure a majority. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated at a recent rally in Pennsylvania that removing Hegseth would be a primary early goal for the party. Jeffries said, "One of the first things we're going to do in the majority, we're going to run Pete Hegseth out of town," according to the report.

Other Democratic members have used strong language to describe the secretary. Representative Pramila Jayapal called Hegseth "incompetent and, frankly, corrupt" during an interview with CNN. Representative Jared Huffman labeled him an "unhinged fanatic who should be impeached and removed from office." These statements align with the procedural groundwork being laid by both parties.

The political pressure on Hegseth coincides with a recent overseas trip that drew scrutiny. Hegseth held a covert meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ovda air base on Monday. This visit occurred days before the Israeli election. Hegseth confirmed the meeting took place but declined to provide details about the conversation.

According to a report from KAN News, the main topic of the discussion 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 due to confidentiality concerns. Two sources confirmed the details of the visit to Walla on Tuesday.

The convergence of the impeachment filings and the covert diplomatic meeting has intensified the focus on Hegseth's role in ongoing military and political decisions. The November 9 date now serves as the focal point for both the Republican procedural push and the potential Democratic offensive following the elections.