Published November 12, 2026 · By
The Hegseth impeachment vote in the U.S. House ended on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, with lawmakers voting 211-204 to send eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee, a step that effectively stops the effort for now. By Wednesday, attention had shifted to the 11 Democrats who were not on the floor, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose name became one of the most searched political terms on Google in the United States.
The outcome of the Hegseth impeachment vote came during the first week of a crowded lame-duck session, as Congress also faces a December 11 deadline to keep the federal government funded.
Hegseth Impeachment Vote: What Happened on the House Floor
The articles were introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican. According to CBS News, the eight articles cover war powers, civilian casualties, alleged extrajudicial killings, free speech, the capture of a foreign leader and the conflict in Yemen. Reason reported that the articles also reference the Iran war and Sen. Mark Kelly.
Instead of holding an up-or-down vote on impeachment itself, the House voted on a motion to refer the resolution to the Judiciary Committee. That motion passed 211-204. CBS News reported that Massie was the only Republican to vote against referral, joined by 203 Democrats. Eighteen members did not vote: 11 Democrats and 7 Republicans.
ABC News reported that the vote, scheduled to last 15 minutes, was held open for about 29 minutes. Because the motion passed, Massie did not get separate votes on each article, which he had said he would request.
The math behind the Hegseth impeachment vote
Several outlets ran the numbers after the Hegseth impeachment vote. ABC News calculated that if all 11 absent Democrats had voted no, the motion would have failed 215-211 and the resolution would have moved forward. Newsweek reported that eight more votes against the motion would have defeated it.
ABC also noted that six of the absent Democrats reached the chamber after the vote closed. Their votes alone would have made the tally 211-210, which still would not have been enough to defeat the motion.
Why 11 Democrats Missed the Hegseth Impeachment Vote
The absent Democrats were Julia Brownley, Lou Correa, Laura Gillen, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Nancy Pelosi, Brittany Pettersen, Melanie Stansbury, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland and Frederica Wilson, according to CBS News and ABC News. The explanations they or their offices gave varied:
- Traffic: Reason reported that Gillen, Jackson, Stansbury and Strickland pointed to traffic tied to a police escort near the Capitol. Strickland’s chief of staff told ABC she missed the vote by about one minute and would have opposed referral.
- Medical and personal reasons: Correa had announced in advance that he would be away for a medical procedure, and Horsford cited a personal emergency, according to Reason.
- Veterans Day event: Pelosi left Washington to attend a Veterans Day celebration in San Francisco, where she was receiving an award, Newsweek reported.
- No explanation yet: Brownley, Stevens and Wilson had not explained their absence to ABC News or Reason at the time of publication.
Reason also reported that a reception for Elect Democratic Women, a group it said was founded by House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, was scheduled near the Capitol at the same time, and that some absent Democrats were reported to be attending. The group did not respond to the outlet’s questions. Rep. Brittany Pettersen said she was “denied the ability to vote on this motion,” according to Reason.
What Pelosi’s office said
Pelosi did not comment directly. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, told ABC News: “She supports impeaching Secretary Hegseth and would have voted ‘No’ on the motion to refer.” He described the San Francisco event as a longstanding district tradition that she would attend for the last time as a member of Congress. Pelosi is not seeking reelection. Her absence from the Hegseth impeachment vote was widely covered because of her long tenure as the party’s House leader.
How Each Side Responded
Republican leaders
House Speaker Mike Johnson said before the Hegseth impeachment vote that Republicans had enough support to stop the measure. “We’ll dispense with the impeachment gambit,” he said, according to CBS News. He also described the effort as a bid for attention. Spokespeople for two absent Republicans, Reps. Julia Letlow and Rudy Yakym, told Reason the lawmakers would have voted with their party to refer the articles.
Democratic leaders
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters the Hegseth impeachment vote was not the end of the matter and said Democrats would continue the effort, according to CBS News. Rep. Pete Aguilar said Democratic leaders had not formally whipped the vote. The Hill reported that Democrats are vowing to take action next year, when they will hold the House majority after the midterm elections.
Massie, Hegseth and the White House
Massie told CBS News he was disappointed but not surprised by the Hegseth impeachment vote, and said he plans to force a vote on war powers. Hegseth has dismissed the effort as a political spectacle, CBS reported. In a video posted on November 5, he described the articles as a sham, ABC News reported. President Trump said last week that he intends to keep Hegseth in his role, according to ABC.
Leadership Changes on the Same Day
The Hegseth impeachment vote came on the same day both parties began reshaping their leadership after the midterms. CBS News reported that House Republicans chose Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as their leader for the next Congress, defeating Majority Leader Steve Scalise 106-73, according to sources. Rep. Tom Emmer won the whip race.
In the Senate, Republicans reelected John Thune as their leader. Senate Democrats are expected to vote next month, and House Democrats scheduled their leadership elections for November 18, according to ABC News. Readers following the new balance of power can see our coverage of the Mississippi Senate race, one of the contests that shaped the next Senate.
What Comes Next in the Lame-Duck Session
The Hegseth impeachment vote is only one item on a five-week agenda. ABC News and the federal employee news site FEDmanager listed several pending issues:
- Government funding for fiscal year 2027, which runs out after December 11, 2026.
- The National Defense Authorization Act, which the House passed earlier this year but the Senate has not advanced.
- Reauthorization of FISA Section 702 surveillance authority.
- An expired farm bill and a permitting reform package.
FEDmanager reported that a short-term spending bill, known as a continuing resolution, appears to be the most likely path. It quoted Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, as saying Democrats are unlikely to support more defense money without matching or larger domestic spending. Official roll call results are posted by the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House.
What It Means for You
The Hegseth impeachment vote does not change any law, tax or benefit program. Its practical importance lies in what it signals about the weeks ahead. Analysis: a close 211-204 margin and a planned leadership change suggest that votes in the lame-duck session may be decided by attendance and small blocs of members, which can make deadlines harder to predict. Lawmakers who missed the Hegseth impeachment vote will face the same tight schedule on spending bills.
Watch the December 11 funding deadline
If Congress does not pass full-year bills or a stopgap by December 11, parts of the federal government could shut down. Past shutdowns have delayed some services, paused paychecks for many federal workers and slowed certain agency operations. Programs such as Social Security payments generally continue, but customer service can be affected. Households that rely on federal benefits, as seen in our report on the proposed SNAP eligibility rule, may want to follow the funding talks closely.
Practical steps
- Federal employees and contractors: review your savings buffer in case a lapse in funding delays pay.
- Benefit recipients: check official agency websites rather than social media for updates on payment schedules.
- Everyone: track final votes through official House and Senate records, since vote counts and attendance can change outcomes.
This article is for information only and is not financial advice.
Sources: CBS News; ABC News; Newsweek; Reason; The Hill; FEDmanager; Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House.
