Hegseth impeachment fails in House as 11 Democrats miss vote

Eleven Democrats were absent from the House floor when the chamber voted to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The absences prevented the measure from advancing.

If those 11 members had been present and no additional Republicans had voted in favor, the effort would have passed. Only one Republican supported the move: Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Massie led the impeachment push.

The vote tested the new Democratic leadership structure before they formally took majority control. Hakeem Jeffries, the presumptive House Speaker, will lead the largest Democratic majority since the early 1990s.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was among the 11 absent Democrats. She flew to San Francisco for a veterans' event and did not cast a vote. Pelosi was known for strict caucus discipline and typically did not schedule votes without a guaranteed majority.

Voters expressed mixed views on how the new Congress should prioritize its work. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted after the election found that 80% of people believe Democrats should focus on the cost of living in their first 100 days. Seventy-five percent cited lowering health care costs, and 70% cited lowering gas prices.

Only 40% of all voters said investigating the Trump administration should be a priority. Among Democrats, 71% supported investigations as a top focus. Only 36% of independents agreed.

When asked specifically about impeaching President Trump, 33% of voters said it would be good for the country. Among Democrats, 63% supported impeachment. Only 30% of independents believed it would benefit the nation.

More than half of all voters said Democrats should make efforts to work with the Trump administration. Only 40% of Democrats supported this approach.

The failed Hegseth vote gave Republicans a chance to rally around the defense secretary. The White House and House Republicans united in opposition to the Democrats. This dynamic allowed Republicans to focus on health care, cost of living, and the Iran war instead of defending the administration.

Jeffries acknowledged the tension between accountability and economic priorities. On PBS NewsHour, he said, "We will cross that bridge when we get to it."