Because they failed to honor promises on putting Americans first, avoiding another war and prosecuting sex traffickers, republican Representative Thomas Massie has criticized his own party following the 2026 US midterm elections , arguing that Republicans lost support.
Massie’s message focused on three issues that have featured prominently in his disagreements with the Republican leadership and the Trump administration. The remarks came as votes were being counted in the November 3 midterm elections, with control of Congress at stake.
ABC News reported on Massie’s impeachment effort, which he presented in a speech on the House floor. Massie has repeatedly challenged the Trump administration’s foreign policy, particularly its military involvement in Iran. The Republican lawmaker worked with Democratic Representative Ro Khanna to introduce the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the Justice Department to release records related to Epstein. Massie continued pressing the Justice Department over the release of the records. The details were outlined in Khanna’s congressional announcement
On September 15, 2026, he introduced an eight-article impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth , accusing him of exceeding his authority in the conduct of the war in Iran and other military operations. The legislation passed the House by 427 votes to one on November 18, 2025, according to the House Clerk’s official voting record. It became Public Law 119-38 on November 19, 2025. In August 2026, he and Khanna introduced a second measure, the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, which would allow victims, state attorneys general and members of Congress to challenge the department in court over alleged failures to comply with the disclosure law.
Instead, he said, voters were holding Republicans accountable for what he described as broken promises. In a post on X on Tuesday night, the Kentucky congressman said the election outcome should not be viewed as an endorsement of Democrats or socialist principles.
