Sakshi Venkatraman
US reporter

Image source, Getty Images

After facing sweeping losses during last week's midterm elections, many Republicans blamed the US-Israel war with Iran for stoking higher fuel prices.

Both President Trump and Vice-President JD Vance said as much.

"The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote in a lengthy post on X on Wednesday morning. "The president himself said so last night."

The war is deeply unpopular among voters, with 71% of US adults saying they want Congress to end it, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests.

As defence secretary, Hegseth has been central to the conflict, directing military actions and stressing "maximum lethality".

It's why he has drawn the anger of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle - and the chief issue addressed in the articles of impeachment introduced yesterday.

The president's impossible dilemma with Hegsethpublished at 18:42 GMT 10 November

18:42 GMT 10 November

Gary O'Donoghue
Chief North America correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

There was plenty of defiance and rhetorical venom from Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon today, as the under-pressure US defence secretary gave his first news conference in six months.

Much of his ire was directed at the Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who has brought articles of impeachment against him.

But this was, in many ways, a news conference with an audience of one - President Donald Trump. Again and again, Hegseth tied his fate to that of the president.

But behind the defiance and these public demonstrations of loyalty to Trump, Hegseth is now in a much weaker political position.

All of this leaves this president with an impossible dilemma.

If he opts to keep his defence secretary, it risks looking as though he has not heard the message from voters. Fire him and it risks looking like an admission that the Iran war has become a damaging domestic liability.

Votes in Congress will be the focus on Tuesday as impeachment proceedings against Hegseth get under way. But in reality, it is the president’s feelings that will likely be the ultimate arbiter of Hegseth’s political fate.

Read more of my analysis about Hegseth's precarious position here.

Image source, Reuters

Republican Speaker Mike Johnson says tonight’s vote to stop the impeachment of Hegseth is "not gonna fail".

"We have the votes. We'll dispense with the impeachment gambit," he tells Scripps News.

Image source, Getty Images

In a post on X, Republican Thomas Massie says he's heard from several Congress members that say they agree with "some of the Articles of Impeachment, but not all of them".

He adds: "If the motion to kill my resolution by referring it to committee fails, and we proceed to the Articles themselves, I’ll request a vote on each of the Articles separately."

Read a rundown of the eight articles of impeachment proposed by Massie.

Ana Faguy
Reporting from Capitol Hill

I'm on Capitol Hill and it's anybody's guess at this point on where exactly the impeachment process will end up.

I'm hearing about votes tonight and possibly tomorrow, and reporters are trying to get a sense of which way lawmakers will go.

Congressional procedure can often be a bit confusing, so let's break down what's happened and what we can expect in the next 24 hours or so.

Yesterday, Massie, an outgoing Republican, formally introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth.

The move started a 48-hour clock for the chamber to take up the measure.

This evening, we're expecting a procedural vote, which will decide if the House moves forward on Massie's measure.

Republicans could make a motion to set the measure aside, called "tabling" in the US, or refer it to committee. Either of those would take a majority vote and if successful would stop a vote on the impeachment resolution itself.

But if those options are presented and rejected, then the House would vote on the impeachment resolution, likely on Wednesday. That also requires a majority.

Image source, Reuters

Republican Senator Ted Cruz has said that it is "extremely likely, if not certain", that the House will impeach Hegseth.

In his podcast released on Monday, he also said that either the defence secretary will "step down", or "Trump will fire him".

Ana Faguy
Reporting from Capitol Hill

The margins in the House of Representatives remain slim for Republicans - that means every vote counts.

There are a handful of moderate Republicans, those who have previously gone against the president in the past, as well as Republicans who lost re-election, who we're eagerly watching to see how they vote.

Chief among those folks is Nebraska Republican Don Bacon.

Bacon, who is not returning to Congress in the new year, told reporters this morning he does not agree with Massie's impeachment resolution.

"I personally am not a fan of the secretary," Bacon said, noting that if he were to impeach the defence secretary it would be for different reasons.

As a reminder, here are Congressman Thomas Massie's arguments for impeaching Hegseth.

Image source, Getty Images

We've heard from several high-profile critics speaking against Pete Hegseth, but he's now also received a public show of support from the Vice-President, external.

JD Vance calls it "absurd" to suggest the defence secretary has committed impeachable crimes.

"Impeachment has become a ridiculous show that stands in for actual policymaking," he continues in the post on X.

"This isn't about Iran, this is about the fact that Pete took on the bureaucracy at the Pentagon," he argues. The Pentagon has not commented on this claim.

President Donald Trump has also voiced support for Hegseth.

For context, Hegseth recently announced plans to cut the number of senior officials in the armed forces by 20%.

Ana Faguy
Reporting from Capitol Hill

It's a hectic day on Capitol Hill.

There's a mixture of finishing old business with the current congress - which only has a few weeks left - and setting priorities for the new congress which will be sworn in early next year.

One of the big things this congress will be tasked with deciding is whether or not to impeach Pete Hegseth.

We're expecting a procedural vote after 17:30 EST (22:30 GMT) this evening. That will be our first clue as to how all members of the House feel about Massie's measure to impeach.

Madeleine Lake
Live reporter

Ahead of this evening's procedural vote on impeachment, many elected officials in Congress leaders have been making their voting intentions clear by expressing their views on US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth via posts on X.

A schedule shows that the house will meet at 10:00 EST (15:00 GMT), and first and last votes are expected at 17:30 EST (22:30 GMT).

Here's a round up of what we've been hearing:

Texan Congresswomen Jasmine Crockett calls for Hegseth's impeachment, she says he has a track record of "leading an illegal and unconstitutional war that has cost innocent lives, disrespecting women service members, and spending over $8.9 million of your taxpayer dollars on crab and lobster".

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace says she will not be voting to impeach: "The Iran war is through no fault of his own and he should not be the one scapegoated for it. I fully support the changes Hegseth has made to the [Department of War] to make our fighting force the very best it can be."

California Congresswoman Sara Jacobs says she will be voting to impeach Hegseth. She says that his "rap sheet" includes "illegal" war, "illegal" strikes in Yemen, and "murders on boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific". She adds that he's "dangerous and needs to go".

Colorado Congressman Jason Crow says Hegseth has been "a total failure and needs to be removed as Defence Secretary".

Tennessee Congressman Andy Olges says he stands with the US Defence Secretary: "He’s a patriot who has delivered great results for our armed forces."

Impeachment articles do not claim US military targets civilianspublished at 16:49 GMT 10 November

16:49 GMT 10 November

By Jake Horton

Referencing the contents of the impeachment articles, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier: “As to the claims that the American military targets civilians, well that is a lie and that is a slander.”

However, the document published yesterday does not claim that the US military targets civilians., external

Article four - entitled “Ignoring laws that minimize civilian casualties“ - claims Hegseth “directed the Department of Defense in a manner that resulted in the death or injury of more than 200 civilians at the Shajarah Tayyebeh Elementary School“.

This is in reference to an incident at the start of the US-Israel war with Iran in February, in which Iranian authorities say a US strike hit a school in Minab in southern Iran killing 156 people, including 120 children.

The Pentagon has said it is under investigation but has not admitted responsibility. A report produced by UN human rights experts found that there were reasonable grounds to believe the US carried out the strike.

BBC Verify has investigated footage of the Minab attack, including a video which experts said showed a US tomahawk missile hitting a military base next to the school during the strikes.

This article of impeachment does not accuse the American military of targeting civilians in the strike, but claims there were “systemic failures in the Department of Defense targeting process”.

Hegseth has called the impeachment effort a “farce” and defended his department’s “lawful military operations” in Iran.

Image source, EPA

Republican Thomas Massie, who introduced the articles of impeachment against Hegseth, has shared a post on social media.

He says that "the law requires our military to withdraw from hostilities within 60 days if Congress does not authorize the activity", but the war on Iran has been under way for 256 days.

"Hegseth is breaking the law. Not even debatable," Massie writes.

For context, the 1973 War Powers Resolution requires the president to notify lawmakers within 48 hours of military action. Congress must pass an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) within 60 days of hostilities breaking out.

Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

If you're just joining us, here is what has happened so far today.

Hegseth pushes back: The US defence secretary has said the impeachment attempts against him are a "farce and a stunt."

Speaking at his first press conference for six months, Hegseth was defiant, saying the efforts to impeach him were "sabotage" and would hand a "propaganda victory" to America's adversaries.

How we got here: Republican Congressman Thomas Massie launched an attempt to impeach the defence secretary, because the Iran war is seen as one of the key reasons for the disastrous Republican performance in the midterms.

The impeachment process is in motion: Massie formally introduced his articles of impeachment on Monday afternoon, arguing that Hegseth broke the law by launching the US-Iran War without approval from Congress.

Hegseth fights for his job: The secretary of defence dismissed Massie as "one disgruntled and defeated congressman," insisting the US military operations in Venezuela and Iran were the right thing to do.

"Every one was a lawful operation, ordered by the commander in chief, then ordered by myself, notified to Congress and executed by American warriors," he said.

Trump still backs his secretary of war - for now: Minutes after Hegseth finished speaking, President Trump backed him up with a post on his social media platform Truth Social, saying Hegseth gets an "“A” PLUS, PLUS, PLUS" and he described Thomas Massie as "a TOTAL LOSER!"

But the impeachment process is a long haul: Read more about the process of impeachment.

As we’ve been reporting, the House of Representatives will hold a key procedural vote on Hegseth’s future this afternoon at 17:30 EST (22:30 GMT).

Reuters news agency, citing congressional sources, reports that the impeachment resolution may have enough votes to pass, even though Republicans will still control the House until Democrats take over on 3 January.

The BBC’s US partner CBS also says the impeachment effort could attract more bipartisan support, as members of both parties are frustrated with Hegseth’s handling of the Iran war and Republicans are reeling from their defeats in the midterm elections.

However, conviction appears unlikely in the Senate, Reuters says, as a two-thirds majority is required and Republicans still hold 53 of the 100 seats.

Image source, Reuters

Reaction is now feeding in from politicians after Pete Hegseth claimed his record as secretary of war was of conducting "lawful military operations" and described the impeachment effort as a "farce".

Democratic Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez says in a post on X: "We have to impeach Hegseth. It is time to ACT."

Congressman Herb Conaway, also a Democrat, responds to a post with a video showing Hegseth saying: "If they want to come for the warriors, they are going to have to come through me" - more on that here.

He says: "Nobody is coming after our service members. We're coming after you for your reckless actions and dangerous incompetence."

Meanwhile, Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson tells reporters Thomas Massie is a "disgruntled congressman" and that the impeachment effort is a "political gambit for attention".

He says the idea that you impeach the secretary of war at a time of international conflict "sends a terrible message to our enemies and our allies".

And Republican Congressman Don Bacon says he will vote no to impeach Hegseth, despite being "not a fan of the secretary", because he says he doesn't agree with the impeachment itself, pointing to things he thinks are missing, including "how [Hegseth] has held money on Ukraine".

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has described as "sabotage" the articles of impeachment launched against him.

In the first press conference he has given for six months, he defended US military action in Iran and Venezuela under his tenure.

The BBC's Chief North America correspondent Gary O'Donoghue breaks down what he said:

After Hegseth's combative defence of his time in office, his day continues with a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

In a post on X, the deputy PM said that he was determined to bring about the establishment of a permanent US military base in Poland.

He goes on to say that cooperation between the government and the president could be "the key to success" and Poland's security is what matters most.

This afternoon, at 17:30 EST (22:30 GMT), the House of Representatives will hold a key procedural vote regarding Hegseth's future. Until then, it is business as usual for the secretary.

Let's take a step back and explain how an impeachment works.

Impeachment proceedings are a rare event in the US and serve as a final check on the power of federal officials.

It’s Congress’s way of formally accusing a senior bureaucrat of breaking the law - and putting them on trial.

Image source, Getty Images

It starts in the House of Representatives

• A lawmaker introduces articles of impeachment, in this case, Republican congressman Thomas Massie
• More than half of politicians there have to vote to support impeachment
• If it passes the House, it means the official is impeached, but the official is not removed from office just yet

Next, it moves to the Senate

• The official is put on trial and questioned by senators
• After this trial, two-thirds of senators must vote in favour of impeachment in order to remove the official from their job
• If they are not found guilty, they can keep their job

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter in Washington DC

As we've reported, the effort is to impeach Hegseth is likely to fail in the short-term, as Republicans remain in power in Congress until January.

But if the House votes to impeach him, it will still be up to the chamber's leadership to decide when to send the matter to the Senate, where an impeached individual stands trial.

Impeachment resolutions can also be carried on past the end of a Congress, meaning that Democrats would be able to take it up next year when they are in the majority in both chambers of Congress.

Massie has acknowledged that the effort may not succeed immediately, but has argued that it might help push President Trump to replace Hegseth before Democrats can launch their own impeachment process.

The US president, however, has so far stood by his defence secretary.

Image source, Getty Images

The prospect of impeaching the secretary of defence is weighing on the minds of lawmakers.

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday he thinks Hegseth has “done a great job” and described the impeachment proceedings as “unfair."

His stance was echoed by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson who said impeachment would be “a terrible thing for our allies and our enemies to see".

"We don't impeach cabinet secretaries for political gain or cheap tricks," he told reporters.

But the top Democrat Hakeem Jeffries - expected to be the next US House of Representatives Speaker - said he is "a hard yes" for impeaching Hegseth.

He told ABC's programme This Week that the defence secretary had "abused his power, undermined our national security, and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran".

His colleague, the Democrat Senator Chris Coons also highlighted Hegseth's central role in the Iran war, saying: "If the president doesn’t remove him, Congress will."