House Vote on Hegseth Set for Nov. 9, One Day After Midterms

The House will take up Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's removal on Nov. 9, the day after the midterm elections.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told a Pennsylvania rally this month that Democrats would target Hegseth if they take the majority. "One of the first things we're going to do in the majority, we're going to run Pete Hegseth out of town," Jeffries said. Rep. Pramila Jayapal called the defense secretary "incompetent and, frankly, corrupt" in a CNN interview, and Rep. Jared Huffman labeled him an "unhinged fanatic who should be impeached and removed from office."

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie filed articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September, accusing him of abusing his office by carrying out an order for hostilities against Iran without approval from Congress. Massie, who has criticized the war on Iran and American aid to Israel, has said he plans to force a vote shortly after the House returns to session on Nov. 9.

The impeachment push runs alongside scrutiny of Hegseth's travel. He met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Israel's Ovda air base on Monday, days before Israel's election, two sources confirmed to Walla on Tuesday. Reuters reported that Hegseth confirmed the visit but declined to discuss his conversation with Netanyahu. KAN News reported Tuesday that Iran was the main topic discussed, with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in attendance.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior Israeli officials were not invited to the meeting for confidentiality reasons.