Impeaching Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.
- Bill Number
- H.Res. 935
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-09: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-16T09:06:39Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This resolution (H. Res. 935) aims to impeach Peter B. Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, for high crimes and misdemeanors. It charges him with serious misconduct in his role overseeing the U.S. Armed Forces and handling national security information, seeking his removal from office and disqualification from future government positions.
Key Provisions
The resolution presents two articles of impeachment, each detailing alleged violations of U.S. law and international obligations:
- Article I: Murder and Conspiracy to Murder
- Accuses Hegseth of ordering unauthorized lethal strikes by the U.S. Armed Forces against small boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean starting September 2, 2025, targeting alleged "narco-terrorists" without legal authorization from Congress or evidence.
- Focuses on a specific incident on September 2, 2025, off South America, where a strike killed most of 11 people on a boat likely carrying migrants (not drugs), followed by a second strike that killed survivors clinging to wreckage, per Hegseth's directive to "kill everybody."
- Cites U.S. criminal code (18 U.S.C. §§ 1111 for murder, 1117 for conspiracy) and war crimes provisions (18 U.S.C. § 2441), including breaches of the Geneva Conventions prohibiting attacks on shipwrecked individuals.
- Invokes "command responsibility," holding Hegseth accountable for subordinates' actions and foreseeable outcomes of his orders.
- Article II: Reckless and Unlawful Mishandling of Classified Information
- Alleges Hegseth participated in a March 2025 Signal group chat (an unauthorized commercial app) discussing classified details of U.S. airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, including targets, weapons, and timelines.
- The chat included high-level officials (e.g., Vice President, Secretary of State) and inadvertently added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, who received and later published the sensitive information in The Atlantic on March 24, 2025.
- References U.S. criminal code (18 U.S.C. § 1924) prohibiting unauthorized removal or retention of classified materials related to national defense or foreign relations.
- Claims this exposed military personnel to risks, damaged morale, and demonstrated incompetence.
The resolution calls for exhibiting these articles to the Senate for trial.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This resolution does not amend or introduce new laws. It applies existing U.S. criminal statutes (e.g., on murder, conspiracy, and classified information) and international norms (e.g., Geneva Conventions) to accuse Hegseth of impeachable offenses under the U.S. Constitution (Article II, Section 4), which allows impeachment for "high crimes and misdemeanors."
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Could disrupt Department of Defense operations if Hegseth is removed, requiring a new appointee and potentially leading to investigations into military command chains and information security protocols.
- On Citizens and Military Personnel: Heightens scrutiny of unauthorized military actions, potentially exposing service members to legal liability for following orders; erodes public trust in civilian oversight of the armed forces.
- On International Relations: Allegations of unlawful killings and war crimes could damage U.S. credibility abroad, strain alliances, and invite diplomatic backlash, especially in regions like the Caribbean, Pacific, and Middle East affected by the incidents.
- Broader effects include a Senate trial that might delay national security decisions and fuel partisan divisions in Congress.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Peter B. Hegseth: Directly targeted for removal and disqualification.
- U.S. Congress: House initiates impeachment; Senate conducts trial, with the Judiciary Committee handling initial review.
- Executive Branch: President (as Commander-in-Chief), other Cabinet members (e.g., Secretary of State), and intelligence officials involved in the alleged misconduct.
- U.S. Armed Forces: Personnel potentially implicated in strikes or exposed by leaks, facing morale issues and legal risks.
- Victims and Families: Unknown individuals killed in the boat strike (likely migrants) and their relatives, with no due process mentioned.
- Journalists and Media: Figures like Jeffrey Goldberg, who received and published leaked information.
- International Community: Nations in the Caribbean (e.g., Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago), Pacific regions, and Yemen, plus global bodies enforcing war crimes laws.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Raises questions of command responsibility under U.S. and international law (command responsibility means superiors are liable for subordinates' crimes if they knew or should have known and failed to act). Could lead to criminal prosecutions beyond impeachment if evidence supports the charges.
- Constitutional: Invokes the impeachment clause, emphasizing the balance of powers between Congress and the executive branch in overseeing military actions without congressional authorization (e.g., no War Powers Resolution compliance alleged).
- Political: As an introduced resolution (not yet passed), it highlights congressional oversight of executive national security decisions; success depends on House majority and Senate two-thirds vote for conviction, potentially intensifying partisan debates on military conduct and information handling without resolving underlying policy disputes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-09: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-12-09: Submitted in House
- 2025-12-09: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Impeaching Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. — issued 2025-12-09 — PDF (9 pages)