President Donald Trump stated he would "stand by" Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth even if the House of Representatives impeaches him, amid growing calls for Hegseth's removal over the Iran war.

Republican Representative Thomas Massie formally introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on the House floor Monday afternoon, speaking for over an hour. Massie cited Hegseth's actions regarding the Iran war as the basis for the impeachment, asserting that the secretary did not meet the necessary requirements to take action without congressional approval.

The resolution requires the House to take up the measure within two legislative days, a procedural move that will force Republican lawmakers to publicly declare their stance on Hegseth's conduct. This vote comes shortly after significant losses for the GOP in the 2026 midterm elections, with some Republicans attributing the defeats to the fallout from the Iran war.

"He won two wars. He was in charge. We all won. I had great people," Trump told reporters during an impromptu White House briefing Monday afternoon, expressing confidence in Hegseth.

While the House remains under Republican control until January 3, the outcome of the impeachment effort is uncertain. However, Massie expressed confidence that enough Republican defectors would join Democrats to ensure the resolution's passage. A simple majority is needed in the House, meaning just three Republicans would need to vote with all Democrats for it to pass.

Massie argued that delaying the impeachment process until Democrats take control of the House in January would only complicate matters. He suggested that Democrats would offer protections to witnesses who served under Hegseth, potentially leading to a more contentious Senate trial.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has already indicated strong support for the impeachment, calling it a "hard yes" on ABC News' "This Week." Republican leaders could attempt to sidestep a direct vote by offering a motion to table the resolution, which would also require a simple majority to pass.

Even if the impeachment articles successfully pass the House, they would face a significant hurdle in the Senate. The Senate, also currently controlled by Republicans, would require a two-thirds majority vote for conviction, a threshold considered difficult to achieve.