Johnson dismisses Massie's impeachment push as "a publicity stunt"
Mike JohnsonSpeaker of the House
Speaker Mike Johnson called Thomas Massie's impeachment push against Hegseth "ridiculous" and "a publicity stunt," saying Hegseth "has done an extraordinary job."
“ridiculous... a publicity stunt by someone who wants attention... Secretary Hegseth has done an extraordinary job at the Department of War... we should not be playing games with national security.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Pete Hegseth be impeached?
Members of the House have advanced multiple impeachment proposals involving Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Rep. Shri Thanedar introduced H.Res. 935 in December 2025, Rep. Yassamin Ansari introduced H.Res. 1177 in April 2026, and Rep. Thomas Massie announced in September that he would offer a privileged resolution. The proposals allege distinct conduct involving military operations, oversight, and the handling of sensitive information; the proposals themselves do not establish those allegations. Hegseth disputed the characterization that anyone was “texting war plans,” while Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson called the April effort a charade and, after Massie read his articles on September 15, defended Hegseth’s record without addressing the specific allegations. The dispute is whether the House should impeach Hegseth on the basis of the congressional proposals and available evidence.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Washington Examiner report on Speaker Mike Johnson dismissing Thomas Massie's impeachment push against Hegseth as a publicity stunt.
Before the quotation
Speaking to reporters after Massie read his articles of impeachment on the House floor.
After the quotation
The same day, House GOP leadership canceled Thursday's votes, sending the House home for a seven-week recess before Massie's privileged resolution could reach the floor.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Johnson explicitly defends Hegseth's record as 'extraordinary' and dismisses the impeachment effort as a publicity stunt, a direct defense of Hegseth against the impeachment push.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Pete Hegseth, Thomas Massie
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Read the full caseMejia says Democrats can pursue Hegseth's impeachment and affordability at once
“I think there are some concerns within the caucus, the broader Democratic caucus, that, you know, we can’t get dragged into impeachment proceedings and instead we should focus on affordability. But I think that it is, we can walk and chew gum,”Read statement
Tafoya calls Hegseth's grade incomplete
“We have an incomplete grade right now. ... One thing I'm happy to see is that the President of the United States canceled this online viewing of this death penalty case in Texas. I'm happy to see that. I think the grade is incomplete.”Read statement
Flanagan gives Hegseth an F and says he should be impeached
“F. And frankly, he should be impeached. ... I have seen enough. And I think the people of Minnesota have seen enough from Pete Hegseth. He absolutely should be impeached.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Johnson dismisses Massie's impeachment push as "a publicity stunt"". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/861-speaker-mike-johnson-called-thomas-massie-s-impeachment