The president’s actions in Iran and his rhetoric promising to end “an entire civilization” have prompted more serious (albeit futile) calls from Democrats in recent days for him to be removed from office.
Why President Trump’s impeachment probably won’t happen
Democratic lawmakers have introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump, but the impeachment is unlikely to succeed in the Republican-controlled Congress.
With Republicans in full control of Congress and Washington, Democrats have spent much of President Donald Trump’s second term largely dodging fruitless calls to seriously remove him from office.
Things have changed since the Iran war, especially since President Trump earlier this week warned that “an entire civilization” would “die” if the Islamic Republic did not concede to American and Israeli demands.
In recent days, an increasing number of Democratic lawmakers have accused the president of “blatant war crimes” and called for his impeachment. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, also met with House Democrats on April 9 to discuss urging Trump’s Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment.
With virtually ironclad Republican support behind the president, there is no realistic way for him to be removed from office, nor is there any chance that Democratic efforts will gain much traction. Republicans control most of the chambers and schedules in the House and Senate, and even Democratic leaders in both chambers have shown no willingness to push for full-scale impeachment.
But the new openness on the issue highlights how the Trump administration’s policies, particularly the Iran war, have pushed Democrats to political extremes. And it offers a preview of future impeachment clashes between progressives and centrists that could engulf Washington if Democrats retake the House and take control of the Senate in November’s midterm elections.
“Impeach him. Remove him from office. This unhinged lunatic must be removed from office,” Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, wrote on social media.
Other Democrats are taking a more cautious stance on similar pleas.
“The Constitution gives Congress the power to remove an unfit president from office,” said Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.). “Should we do this? Absolutely. But impeachment starts in the House, and I don’t think Mike Johnson will grow taller overnight.”
White House Press Secretary Davis Engle called the new impeachment calls “pathetic.”
“Democrats have been discussing impeachment since before President Trump was sworn into office,” he said in a statement to USA TODAY. “Democrats in Congress are deranged, weak, and powerless. That’s why their approval ratings are at historic lows.”
On April 8, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt defended President Trump’s threat to potentially kill tens of millions of Iranians, saying that President Trump has “absolute moral superiority over Iran’s terrorist regime.”
“It was a very strong threat that had consequences,” she said.
When was Trump impeached before?
Trump has been impeached twice by the House of Representatives, but has never been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, and impeachment would require a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate.
In December 2019, the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Trump on two articles related to charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in dealings with Ukraine. The Republican-led Senate acquitted him in February 2020.
The House of Representatives impeached Trump again in January 2021, impeaching him for inciting an insurrection in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. At the time, 10 Republicans split their party lines and voted with Democrats, but the Senate again acquitted him.
Contributed by Jeanine Santucci, Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY
Zachary Schermele is a Congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social..
