Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to step behind the Pentagon podium on Tuesday for his first news conference there since May. He takes the questions one day after a member of his own party filed articles of impeachment that could bring a House vote as soon as this week.

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky put the 34-page resolution on the House floor Monday as lawmakers came back to Washington for the last weeks of the Republican-led Congress. Under House rules his move gives leaders two legislative days to schedule a vote.

Massie charges Hegseth with high crimes and misdemeanors in eight separate counts. Three of them say the secretary misused the powers of his department by fighting a war with Iran that Congress never approved.

What the eight articles say

Another count says the Pentagon ignored rules meant to protect civilians, pointing to a strike on an Iranian school earlier this year. Others take aim at the deadly strikes on boats in the Caribbean, the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, fighting in Yemen and the department's scrutiny of Sen. Mark Kelly after he urged troops to refuse illegal orders.

Massie first tried to force the issue before the midterm elections. House leaders sent members home early, the clock ran out and the measure expired. That is why he filed it again this week.

A defeated congressman with nothing to lose

The Kentucky lawmaker lost his own primary after Hegseth campaigned for his challenger. When the secretary called him a disgruntled defeated congressman, Massie shot back that he was defeated but not disgruntled. He argued that impeachment simply means firing someone and warned that Democrats will be far tougher once they take charge in January.

Hegseth has brushed off the push as a sham in a video released last week. The president said Monday that he will stand by his defense chief and credited him with winning two wars.

Can it pass?

Every Democrat plus Massie and a few frustrated Republicans could be enough to impeach Hegseth in the House. Removal is another matter. Conviction takes two-thirds of the Senate, a bar few expect to be reached. Massie noted that any articles the House approves would carry over into the next Congress, when Democrats will hold the Senate.

Some Republicans who oppose impeachment still say the administration needs to do a better job explaining its plan for the Iran war. Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson called the effort a scapegoat move and said Congress should use its control of spending instead. All eyes now turn to how Hegseth answers those questions from the podium.