Watchdog Slams House Leaders for Again Sidestepping Hegseth Impeachment Vote

Tonight, House Republicans sidestepped an up-or-down vote on the eight articles of impeachment that Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, instead referring them to a committee for further study. It is the second time leaders have sidestepped the resolution. In September, Speaker Mike Johnson canceled votes and adjourned the House early to avoid a vote. The articles accuse Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution in waging the Iran war, disregarding laws meant to limit civilian casualties, ordering extrajudicial killings in strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats, and retaliating against Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) for exercising his constitutionally protected free speech, among other charges.

“Secretary Hegseth’s record is deeply troubling. The Pentagon’s own inspector general found that his use of Signal put sensitive military information and servicemembers at risk, and his department continues to withhold records about deadly military strikes that experts warn may constitute war crimes,” said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight. “Taken together, these incidents raise serious questions about Hegseth’s judgment, his respect for the law, and the lack of accountability at the Pentagon. Just last week, voters sent a clear message that they expect more from their government and the people entrusted to lead it. Delaying a vote won’t make these questions go away. Congress has a responsibility to demand answers, not look the other way. Our servicemembers and the American people deserve better.”

American Oversight has been investigating Hegseth’s conduct since early in his tenure. In March 2025, the nonpartisan watchdog was the first organization to file a lawsuit over Signalgate after The Atlantic revealed that Hegseth and other senior officials had used the auto-deleting app to discuss planned military strikes in Yemen in a group chat that included a journalist. American Oversight’s suit secured a March 27, 2025, court order requiring officials to preserve the messages.

After reports surfaced that Hegseth had shared strike details in a second Signal chat that included his wife and brother, American Oversight amended its complaint and sought a preliminary injunction. In June 2025, Chief Judge James Boasberg ordered Secretary of State Marco Rubio, then acting as U.S. Archivist, to ask the attorney general to take action to preserve any federal records at risk of deletion in the Signal chat. In April 2026, the Defense Department filed a supplemental declaration affirming that no federal records were at risk of deletion.

Soon after American Oversight filed suit, the Pentagon’s inspector general opened an evaluation of Hegseth’s Signal use. As that review neared completion, Hegseth ordered an overhaul of the military’s inspector general and whistleblower complaint processes, and American Oversight filed a FOIA request for the watchdog’s findings. The inspector general’s Dec. 2025 report, which cites American Oversight’s litigation in explaining the efforts it took to get a wholly preserved version of the chat, found that Hegseth’s sharing of sensitive strike details over Signal violated department regulations, risked endangering U.S. personnel, and noted that he declined to be interviewed by investigators. American Oversight called for Hegseth’s resignation in July 2025 and again after the report’s release.

American Oversight’s work extends beyond Signalgate. In December 2025, the nonpartisan watchdog sued the Defense and Justice departments for records about the September 2025 strikes on alleged drug boats, including a reported second strike that killed survivors of the initial attack. Those requests seek the legal justifications for the strikes, internal discussions about public messaging, and any dissent raised within the agencies. The boat strikes are now among the conduct cited in Massie’s articles, as is Hegseth’s effort to demote Sen. Kelly, which American Oversight has tracked as part of its investigation into the administration’s retaliation against its critics.

The nonpartisan watchdog has also continued to press for answers on senior officials’ use of auto-deleting messaging apps, and in the first months of Hegseth’s tenure alone, American Oversight submitted more than 20 FOIA requests to the Pentagon for his communications with outside individuals and entities.