As promised, the Northern Kentucky Republican revived an impeachment process he initiated in September — taking to the House floor to lay out his case against Hegseth in charges that largely focused on the war in Iran and the actions in Venezuela.
"Peter Hegseth, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain to office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with his duties and the rule of law," the renegade Republican said.
Hegseth told the press he's "not worried" about the impeachment push and promised to elaborate in a press conference Tuesday. The Pentagon chief has called the articles of impeachment a "sham" and vowed that they will not succeed.
"(It) didn't work against President Trump and it won't work with me. You can rest assured of that," the military chief said in a recent video.
House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to say whether House Republicans have the votes to kill the impeachment resolution, but he told Washington reporters allowing it proceed would send a bad message overseas.
"Impeaching a cabinet secretary, especially the Department of War, in the middle of hostilities abroad, would be a terrible look, a terrible thing for our allies to see that," he said.
Should the resolution pass, Politico reports Johnson could refuse to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate — kicking the question to the next Congress, when Democrats will lead both chambers.