A Republican lawmaker, Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie, introduced articles of impeachment against US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war, setting up a potentially explosive vote in Congress just days after the Republican Party suffered a crushing midterm defeat. The articles accuse Hegseth of illegally waging war without congressional authorisation and abusing his powers as Pentagon chief. The Republican-controlled House could vote as early as Wednesday, with some lawmakers from Trump's party considering supporting the charges. The push for impeachment has gained momentum since last Tuesday's midterm elections, when Democrats seized both chambers of Congress amid widespread frustration over the Iran war and escalating fuel prices. Republicans retain control of Congress until January 3, but the overwhelming defeat has weakened party discipline, making it possible that some lawmakers who lost their seats could skip the vote. Massie, an outspoken critic of Trump, is using a special procedure to force the House to consider his resolution within two legislative days. Despite the Pentagon's rejection of the accusations, Massie's Democratic counterpart, Hakeem Jeffries, has strongly backed impeachment, stating that Hegseth has "abused his power, undermined our national security and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran." The House can impeach a senior government official by a simple majority vote, after which the Senate decides on conviction and removal from office with a two-thirds majority. Even with their increased majority, Democrats would need considerable Republican support to achieve the required threshold. Hegseth, facing what he calls a "sham," has dismissed the efforts as politically motivated and expressed his intention to remain in office. Trump has publicly supported Hegseth, promising to keep him in his post, but the president's weakened position after the midterms leaves Hegseth facing a prolonged impeachment battle.