Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has said he will not submit his impeachment resolution against US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House of Representatives if Hegseth resigns from his post.

Political debates have continued in the United States following the midterm elections, with new disagreements also emerging within the Republican Party. Massie made the remarks while discussing his previously announced impeachment effort targeting Hegseth.

Massie ties impeachment effort to Hegseth's resignation

Speaking to CNN, Massie said he plans to reintroduce the impeachment resolution during the new congressional session, which was previously delayed after the House of Representatives ended its work early in September.

The Republican lawmaker said the only exception that would lead him to abandon the effort would be Hegseth stepping down voluntarily from his position as defence secretary.

Massie also reiterated his position in posts shared on his social media account, saying that Hegseth's resignation would remove the need to move forward with the impeachment initiative.

The impeachment effort has been discussed in Washington for months, but the proposal did not reach the voting stage after the House went into an early recess.

Republican lawmaker criticises party after election results

Massie also commented on the results of the midterm elections, arguing that the Republican Party's losses could not be explained by a single factor.

The congressman criticised the party leadership and said the election outcome should lead to a serious internal review among Republican voters and officials.

Following the Democrats' victory in both chambers of Congress, debates over government oversight and defence policies are expected to intensify when lawmakers return to session on November 9.

The developments are also expected to increase scrutiny of the Trump administration's policies and the role of Congress in overseeing executive decisions.(ILKHA)