House

Democrats intensify calls to oust Trump over Iran threats

Comments:

by Sudiksha Kochi - 04/09/26 6:22 PM ET

Comments:

Link copied

by Sudiksha Kochi - 04/09/26 6:22 PM ET

Comments:

Link copied

NOW PLAYING

More than 70 Democrats in Congress are calling for President Trump’s removal over his blistering threats against Iran and handling of the military operation in Iran, a dynamic that is forecasting the aggressive posture many in the party will demand their leaders take toward Trump if they win the majority in the midterms.

Democratic leaders in both chambers have been navigating a political minefield, hesitant to push for Trump’s ouster even as they aim to show voters they are standing up to him and Republicans.

But Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday, just hours after he issued a stark warning that a “whole civilization” would be destroyed if Tehran didn’t strike a deal by 8 p.m., sparked backlash among many members of the Democratic Party, who quickly accused Trump of threatening genocide and insisted that the last-minute truce does little to erase his reckless conduct.

And many Democrats have intensified calls for Trump to be impeached or removed from office under the 25th Amendment, a mechanism that has never been used to unseat a president.

The minority party lacks the votes to pursue either option, but the flood of demands is putting pressure on Democratic leaders and is indicative of the widespread frustration among Democratic voters.

“You can’t shout ‘fire’ in a crowded theater and a president cannot be allowed to threaten genocide with the United States military,” Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) wrote on the social platform X. “Threats of war crimes and disregard for human life must be met with accountability under the law. Trump must go—and Republicans, whether in the Cabinet or Congress, must join Democrats in using any and all constitutional powers at our collective disposal to end this illegal war and take the gun out of this madman’s hands.”

Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) expressed similar sentiments, saying in a video clip on X that Trump is “not fit to be commander in chief” and urging his Republican colleagues to stand against him.

“Impeachment starts in the House, and I don’t expect Mike Johnson to grow a spine overnight,” Kim said. “Trump’s loyalists care more about protecting their seats and jobs and serving this president, rather than the rule of law, the Constitution or the will of the people.”

Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) took the calls a step further by sending a letter directly to Vice President Vance and other members of Trump’s Cabinet calling for them to invoke the 25th Amendment. And Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) announced Tuesday that he filed articles of impeachment against Trump over the Iran conflict.

The 25th Amendment says that the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet may vote to declare a president “unable to discharge the powers and the duties of his office” and give the vice president the duties of acting president. A dispute over the president’s capacity to perform the job would then be sent to Congress, which could concur by a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate.

It also takes a majority vote of the House to impeach a president and a two-thirds vote in the Senate to convict and remove a president.

Most House Democrats have previously voted with Republicans in blocking impeachment resolutions by Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), as leaders have been wary of the partisan message it could send to voters in swing districts ahead of a competitive election cycle.

And Democratic leaders in Congress this week stopped short of backing the calls for Trump’s removal. Instead, they have been pushing for a war powers resolution that would limit Trump’s ability to conduct the operation in Iran.

Asked whether Trump’s rhetoric is worthy of impeachment or the 25th Amendment, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe” on Thursday, “Well, in terms of, you know, impeachment and things of that matter, we’ve said we’ve ruled nothing out and we’ve rule nothing in, but we’re going to deal with what’s in front of us.”

He also told Politico on both efforts, “We have a responsibility as a separate and co-equal branch of government to defend the American people, and we want to be able to do it in an informed way.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has also stopped short of calling for Trump’s removal.

House Democrats unsuccessfully tried to pass a war powers measure during a pro forma session on Thursday, and Jeffries said in a statement that they will hold another vote on it soon. Schumer said Wednesday that the Senate will vote on an Iran war