Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) charged Wednesday that House GOP leadership abruptly adjourned the chamber a day early because their internal whip count revealed more Republican defections on his push to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth than they wanted to expose.
Speaking with CNN's Kaitlin Collins on “The Source,” Massie said the decision to skip Thursday’s scheduled session was a direct response to his privileged resolution. “The fact that they didn’t vote on it tells me that they did a whip check, and they probably found that there were some other Republicans, besides me, that were going to vote for this, or at least didn’t wanna be on the record supporting Hegseth,” he said.
Massie, a frequent critic of President Trump who lost his primary in May to Trump-backed Ed Gallrein, introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Tuesday. The articles accuse the defense secretary of violating his constitutional oath through his conduct of military operations, including strikes against Iran and missions targeting alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
By making the resolution privileged, Massie forced a vote within two legislative days. That deadline would have landed before the House’s scheduled seven-week recess, but Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sent lawmakers home a day early, effectively shelving the measure until November. The early adjournment has drawn sharp criticism from Massie, who dubbed it the “Hegseth holiday.”
Massie insisted the timing was no coincidence. “I know it was,” he told Collins, arguing that leaving the resolution unresolved is “actually bad politics” because it will “hang over Pete Hegseth’s head” until lawmakers return. He noted that Johnson could have scheduled the vote at any point after introduction. “If there was any other reason that they canceled tomorrow’s day of session, they could have had the Hegseth vote tonight,” Massie said. “The rules say that he has to have the vote within 48 hours. They don’t say he has to wait 48 hours. So, he could have had the vote yesterday, as soon as I introduced the articles. He could have done it today, before he adjourned Congress.”
Massie’s move comes amid broader GOP tensions over Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon. Reports of strict fitness and grooming rules for attendees at Hegseth events have fueled criticism from both parties, and some Republicans have privately expressed unease with his aggressive policy shifts. The trimmed pre-election schedule has been widely interpreted as an attempt to avoid a politically awkward vote before the midterms.
House GOP leaders have not publicly explained the early recess, but aides point to scheduling conflicts and the need to campaign. However, Massie’s accusation that the whip check revealed “other Republicans” willing to join him has intensified speculation. A handful of GOP lawmakers have voiced concerns about Hegseth’s handling of classified briefings and his public statements on military engagements, though none have formally endorsed impeachment.
The resolution now sits dormant until the House reconvenes in November, when it could be brought up during the lame-duck session. Massie, who is leaving Congress at the end of his term, has vowed to press the issue. “They can run, but they can’t hide,” he said. “The American people deserve a vote on whether Pete Hegseth should remain in charge of our military.”
The delay also mirrors past GOP efforts to sidestep impeachment votes. Earlier this year, the House rejected a similar push against Trump over deportation policies, but Massie’s privileged motion carries more weight because of its procedural status. His filing of the articles marked a rare intra-party challenge to a sitting defense secretary, and the leadership’s response has only amplified the controversy.
