House sends Hegseth impeachment articles back to committee, 211-204, as Jordan wins GOP leadership

The House vote on Hegseth

On Tuesday, 10 November 2026, the House voted 211 to 204 to send impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth back to the House Judiciary Committee. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie had reintroduced the articles on Monday, 9 November, accusing Hegseth of high crimes tied to the war with Iran and to U.S. strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. The move circumvents any floor vote and makes it virtually certain the articles will not be taken up before the current session ends. The effort had sought to remove Hegseth as Pentagon chief over his conduct in office and his handling of the Iran war. Ohio Republican Warren Davidson said he considers the war in Iran unconstitutional, but argued that Hegseth was a scapegoat for the status quo in Washington.

Jordan takes the House Republican leadership

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio won the race to serve as House Republican leader, defeating Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana 106 to 73 in a secret-ballot vote of Republicans who will serve in the next Congress.

Jim Jordan106

Steve Scalise73

Jim Jordan

106 votes

Steve Scalise

73 votes

Data from the article text

Jordan, 62, chairs the House Judiciary Committee and is a co-founder of the Freedom Caucus, where he served as the first chairman. The House Republican conference is about to enter the minority after the midterm losses, and House Republicans voted to replace Speaker Mike Johnson, who is stepping down. NPR notes that Jordan's selection, along with Stephen Miller's appointment as the president's new chief of staff, points to a more combative political approach. Retaking the majority in 2028 will be a steep climb, given the scope of Democratic victories in the midterms.

Democrats split over Schumer

Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday that he will not back Sen. Chuck Schumer for Democratic leader in the new Congress. He made the announcement at a Capitol news conference alongside Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, and the two called for a new generation of leadership and a vigorous debate about the party's direction. Several incoming Democratic senators have echoed the call. Progressives have pushed Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland as a potential contender, while Schumer, 75, has shown few signs of stepping aside. NPR expects Democratic leadership elections in the week of 16 November 2026, and likely to keep Hakeem Jeffries in the House and Schumer in the Senate in place.

Trump's letter to Biden

When Trump left office in January 2021, he left Joe Biden a two-page handwritten letter on White House stationery, addressed "To '46'" to denote Biden's place as the 46th president. The letter privately praised Biden as someone Trump believed would be true to himself and the American people. Trump had for years disputed his loss in the 2020 election and publicly described the result as stolen. Biden showed the note to some staff after his 2021 inauguration but did not let anyone read it, calling it "very generous" and otherwise private. The letter is included in Biden's White House memoir, "Promise Me, America", slated for release on 17 November 2026.

Oversight report on Epstein

The Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee released a report on its investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associates. The report concluded that the federal government mishandled criminal investigations into the financier and failed survivors.