Haley Stevens

A motion to refer Republican Representative Thomas Massie’s eight articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth failed by a 211-204 vote Tuesday, meaning the effort will not advance to the Senate for consideration.

Eleven Democrats did not cast votes Tuesday, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representatives Haley Stevens of Michigan and Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico. Democratic absences proved larger than the final margin, though seven Republicans also did not vote.

California Democrat Sydney Kamlager-Dove told reporters after the vote that she was disappointed that low turnout impacted the vote.

"People should have gotten their raggedy selves up these steps to vote. There is no reason why we should have lost this vote because of attendance issues," she said, criticizing Hegseth for spending $100 million to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War.

U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury from New Mexico took to X to explain her absence.

"Like other Members of Congress, Rep. Stansbury was blocked from entering the Capitol to vote due a traffic incident and a police escort of a bus during the vote. When she reached the chamber the vote had just gaveled out. She immediately filed a report of her vote of 'NO' to the motion meant to kill the impeachment articles and refer them to the Judiciary Committee, as documented in the Congressional Record," the statement on X reads.

Representatives Laura Gillen and Jonathan Jackson also said the traffic incident and a police-escorted bus delayed their journey to the Capitol. All three said they would have voted against referring the impeachment articles to the Judiciary Committee.

“While en route to the floor to oppose that motion, a traffic incident and a police-escorted bus caused a delay that resulted in the vote closing before I, along with other Members, could reach the chamber,” Jackson said in a statement to The Washington Sun.

Andrew Noh, chief of staff for Representative Marilyn Strickland, told The Sun that she was caught behind a motorcade and missed the vote by one minute, while Representative Steven Horsford was absent because of a personal emergency, his office told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. His office said he would have opposed the motion.

“He will continue making the case for impeachment and is submitting a statement for the Congressional Record explaining how he would have voted,” Horsford's office said a statement.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had returned to San Francisco for a Veterans Day event at which she was due to receive an award recognizing her advocacy for veterans. Her spokesperson said she supported impeaching Hegseth and would have voted against the referral.

“Speaker Emerita Pelosi returned to San Francisco to join and honor local veterans at Swords to Plowshares’ 30th Annual Veterans Day Celebration tonight, an important and longstanding district tradition she regularly attends and will mark for the last time as a Member of Congress by receiving the Lifetime Advocate for Veterans Award,” Pelosi spokesperson Ian Krager told The Sun.

Representative J. Luis Correa remained in California ahead of a medical procedure after his doctor advised him not to travel until he was medically cleared. His office told Newsweek that he submitted a personal explanation for the Congressional Record to appear in the Nov. 10 edition.

"I vehemently support the impeachment of Secretary Hegseth," Correa said in a statement to Newsweek. "Hegseth has dragged us into another endless war. He has fired experienced generals who disagree with him and the president. And under his leadership, the military has blatantly discriminated against women, LGBTQ+ service members, and others. Our troops deserve a Secretary of Defense who puts their safety first and honors our Constitution."

No public explanations had been given for the absences of Representatives Julia Brownley, Haley Stevens, Brittany Pettersen and Frederica Wilson as of Wednesday morning.

Newsweek contacted each of them for comment via email and telephone on Wednesday morning.

Massie brought eight impeachment articles against Hegseth, three of which allege Hegseth violated the 1973 War Powers Resolution, an act that limits the White House's power to use the U.S. military in foreign wars without congressional approval.

Massie also alleges Hegseth disregarded laws that keep civilian casualties to a minimum, suppressing free speech and of ordering "extrajudicial killings" through U.S. attacks on alleged drug boats in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. At least 240 people have been killed in these strikes since September 2025.

A further two articles accuse Hegseth of "kidnapping" a sovereign foreign leader, referring to the capture of Venezuela's former President Nicolás Maduro, and directing an "unlawful war" in Yemen.

Massie had brought impeachment articles against Hegseth in September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson quickly recessed the chamber without a vote taking place, meaning Republicans did not have to pass public judgment on Hegseth's leadership of the Pentagon ahead of this week's elections.

Tuesday's failed vote effectively ends this impeachment effort.

Members who miss a vote are recorded as "Not Voting." They can submit statements indicating how they would have voted, but those statements do not alter the official tally or outcome.

In addition to the Kentucky Republicans' push, Democratic Representative Maxwell Frost of Florida has said he has drafted separate articles of impeachment against Hegseth and could pursue them when Democrats assume control of the House in January. Democratic leaders have also signaled continued scrutiny of the defense secretary.

Expected by many to become the new House speaker, Hakeem Jeffries recently said Democrats would "run Pete Hegseth out of town," underscoring the likelihood that Hegseth will remain a target of congressional investigations and potential future impeachment efforts despite Tuesday's vote.

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Anna Commander, Edward T. Cummins and Emma Lee-Sang

Update 11/11/26, 05:36 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.