Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has proposed impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of violating the U.S. Constitution through his management of military actions involving Iran and other conflicts around the world. The proposal comes at a politically sensitive time, just weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, where House Republicans are trying to hold onto their majority. Massie, who lost his primary earlier this year after being backed by former President Donald Trump and Hegseth, is now putting his fellow Republicans in a difficult position. Under House rules, the proposed articles of impeachment must be voted on by Thursday, forcing lawmakers to take a stance on a figure who is a strong advocate for the ongoing war with Iran—conflict that has lasted longer than Trump originally anticipated and has grown increasingly unpopular with the public. In a statement after reading the text of his resolution on the House floor, Massie argued that Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army National Guard officer, has broken the law by engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional approval. The resolution outlines eight alleged constitutional violations, including attacking Iran without seeking Congress’s authorization and ignoring a war powers resolution passed by both the House and Senate in June, which would have required an end to the conflict. It also accuses Hegseth of failing to follow laws aimed at reducing civilian casualties, citing a U.S. strike on a school in Minab, Iran, which killed over 168 people. Other charges include allegations that Hegseth violated the Constitution by ordering the “extrajudicial killings” of at least 221 people on boats suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. The resolution also claims he suppressed free speech by retaliating against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly for criticizing him. Additional articles accuse Hegseth of constitutional violations related to a military operation that captured Venezuela’s former president, Nicolás Maduro, and a bombing campaign in Yemen that began after Trump returned to the White House. If the resolution passes in the House, it would move to the Senate, where Republican leaders would have to decide whether to hold a trial. Hegseth has remained loyal to Trump, unlike some other cabinet members who have been removed from office. The articles are likely to attract support from Democrats, and Massie has previously used bipartisan backing and the slim Republican majority to push through measures like the release of documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.