Hegseth removal vote set for November 9

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will face a House vote on his removal on November 9.

That date is one week after the midterm elections. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie plans to force the vote when the chamber returns to session. He filed articles of impeachment in September. The articles accuse Hegseth of abusing his office. Massie says Hegseth ordered hostilities against Iran without Congress approval.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats are ready to move fast if they win the majority. Speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, Jeffries said the party would run Hegseth out of town. He called it one of their first actions in a majority.

Other Democrats have used harsh language to describe the secretary. Rep. Pramila Jayapal told CNN that Hegseth is incompetent and corrupt. Rep. Jared Huffman called him an unhinged fanatic. Huffman said he should be impeached and removed.

The push for removal comes as Hegseth travels overseas. He met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The meeting took place at Israel's Ovda air base. It happened days before Israel's election. Two sources confirmed the visit to Walla on Tuesday.

Hegseth confirmed the trip but gave few details about the conversation. Reports indicate Iran was the main topic. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz attended the meeting. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was not invited. Senior Israeli officials were also left out for confidentiality.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Democrats are laying the groundwork for the process. They aim to launch it if they hold a strong position after the midterms. The vote is scheduled for the week after the elections.