WASHINGTON, United States — Eleven Democratic lawmakers missed a crucial congressional vote that allowed Republicans to halt an attempt to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The House voted 211 to 204 on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, to send the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee, effectively preventing it from advancing before the current Congress ends.
The result triggered criticism within the Democratic Party because the missing lawmakers could have changed the outcome.
Eight additional votes against the procedural motion would have been enough to defeat it, assuming all other votes remained unchanged.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed were among the Democrats who criticised their colleagues’ absence.
The failed impeachment effort was introduced by Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who accused Hegseth of violating federal law and constitutional restrictions on military operations.
Eleven Democrats Miss Vote That Could Have Changed Outcome
According to the official House roll-call record, 210 Republicans and one independent voted to refer the impeachment resolution to committee.
Massie was the only Republican to oppose the motion, joining all 203 Democrats who participated.
Eighteen representatives did not vote, including 11 Democrats and seven Republicans.
The absent Democrats were Julia Brownley, Lou Correa, and Nancy Pelosi of California; Laura Gillen of New York; Steven Horsford of Nevada; Jonathan Jackson of Illinois; Brittany Pettersen of Colorado; Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico; Haley Stevens of Michigan; Marilyn Strickland of Washington; and Frederica Wilson of Florida.
Had all 11 Democrats voted against the motion while the other votes remained unchanged, the measure would have failed by 215 votes to 211.
The House would then have been able to proceed towards consideration of the impeachment resolution itself.
The procedural vote did not determine whether Hegseth committed an impeachable offence.
It concerned whether the charges should be referred to committee rather than considered directly by the House.
With the current congressional session approaching its conclusion, the referral makes further action on the resolution unlikely before January.
Ocasio-Cortez Criticises Missing Lawmakers
The absences prompted criticism from several Democrats who questioned why their colleagues had not attended the vote.
Ocasio-Cortez, a New York representative, said lawmakers were expected to fulfil their responsibilities in Congress.
“The people send us here to do a job,” she told CNN reporter Manu Raju, while acknowledging that some colleagues might have legitimate medical or personal reasons for missing the proceedings.
She compared congressional responsibilities with her previous employment in the restaurant industry.
“And the same way I had to clock in when I worked at a restaurant, we’ve got to clock in and do our work here,” she said.
California Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove also criticised the absences.
Speaking to MeidasTouch, Kamlager-Dove said Democratic lawmakers had known the vote was approaching and should have arranged to attend.
She described the failure to secure sufficient votes as unacceptable.
El-Sayed, who was elected to represent Michigan in the Senate, expressed similar dissatisfaction during an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
“You should show up and do your job,” he said.
Traffic Delays and Personal Emergencies Cited
Several of the absent Democrats offered explanations for missing the vote.
Stansbury said a traffic incident and a police escort near the Capitol prevented her from reaching the chamber before voting ended.
Gillen, Jackson, and Strickland also cited traffic disruptions involving the movement of buses near the congressional complex.
According to The Guardian, the disruption affected lawmakers attempting to enter the Capitol during the voting period.
Horsford’s office said he had been dealing with a personal emergency.
His staff maintained that he supported Hegseth’s impeachment and would have opposed the Republican procedural motion if he had been present.
Correa was absent because of a medical procedure.
A spokesperson for Pelosi said the former House speaker was attending a Veterans Day event in San Francisco.
Not every absent lawmaker had publicly explained the absence when the controversy emerged.
The explanations did not immediately end criticism from colleagues who argued that the party should have ensured sufficient attendance for the vote.
Jeffries Faces Questions Over Democratic Attendance
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries also faced questions about the failure to secure enough votes.
Before the proceedings, Jeffries had publicly endorsed the impeachment resolution.
In an interview with ABC News, he described himself as a firm supporter of removing Hegseth.
He accused the defence secretary of abusing his authority and undermining American national security through the administration’s conduct of the war with Iran.
Jeffries had also indicated that he expected substantial Democratic support for the resolution.
After the procedural defeat, he said he had not yet discussed the absences with the party’s floor leadership.
He also indicated that the issue could return when Democrats assume control of the House in January.
“This is not the end of it. It’s just the beginning,” Jeffries said, according to The Guardian.
The new Congress is scheduled to convene on January 3, following Democratic gains in the midterm elections.
Massie Accuses Hegseth of Unlawful Military Operations
The impeachment resolution contained eight articles accusing Hegseth of misconduct in office.
Massie’s principal allegations concerned American military operations against Iran.
The Kentucky Republican argued that the administration had continued military hostilities without the congressional authorisation required under the War Powers Resolution.
He also accused Hegseth of failing to provide adequate safeguards for civilians during military operations.
Other allegations concerned American actions in Yemen and Venezuela, as well as strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
The resolution also challenged Hegseth’s actions towards Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who had participated in a video encouraging military personnel to refuse unlawful orders.
Massie argued that the defence secretary had exceeded his constitutional and statutory authority.
The allegations were not adjudicated during Tuesday’s vote.
The resolution received support from Democratic leaders but encountered nearly unanimous opposition from House Republicans.
Hegseth Rejects Charges as Trump Celebrates Outcome
Hegseth rejected the allegations during a Pentagon news conference before the House vote.
He maintained that American military operations had been lawful and carried out under President Donald Trump’s authority.
The defence secretary also accused Massie of attempting to use impeachment proceedings to pursue political disagreements.
“This is not patriotism,” Hegseth said. “This is sabotage.”
Trump defended Hegseth and welcomed the House’s decision.
The president described the outcome as a vindication of the defence secretary, although the vote did not examine the substance of the impeachment charges.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson also opposed the proceedings, dismissing the attempt as politically motivated.
Some Republican lawmakers acknowledged concerns about Hegseth’s management of the Pentagon but said those disagreements did not justify impeachment.
Democrats Could Revive Impeachment Proceedings in January
The House vote leaves Hegseth in office and prevents Massie’s resolution from advancing directly to impeachment proceedings.
The Judiciary Committee could theoretically consider the measure, but the current Congress has only weeks remaining.
Democrats will assume control of the House in January and could introduce new impeachment articles or open investigations into the military operations cited in the resolution.
Massie is leaving Congress after losing his Republican primary to a candidate backed by Trump.
He has indicated that he will continue pressing questions about congressional authorisation for military operations.
For Democrats, the immediate controversy concerns the attendance of lawmakers during a vote that might have allowed impeachment proceedings to advance.
The official record establishes that the Republican procedural motion passed by seven votes, with 11 Democrats and seven Republicans absent.
The result has postponed consideration of the impeachment allegations, while leaving open the possibility of renewed proceedings under the next Congress.
