More than 70 Democrats in Congress are calling for President Trump\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Democratic leaders in both chambers have been navigating a political minefield, hesitant to push for Trump\u2019s ouster even as they aim to show voters they are standing up to him and Republicans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Trump\u2019s announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday, just hours after he issued a stark warning that a \u201cwhole civilization\u201d would be destroyed if Tehran didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t shout \u2018fire\u2019 in a crowded theater and a president cannot be allowed to threaten genocide with the United States military,\u201d Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) wrote on the social platform X. \u201cThreats of war crimes and disregard for human life must be met with accountability under the law. Trump must go\u2014and 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\u2019s hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) expressed similar sentiments, saying in a video clip on X that Trump is \u201cnot fit to be commander in chief\u201d and urging his Republican colleagues to stand against him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cImpeachment starts in the House, and I don\u2019t expect Mike Johnson to grow a spine overnight,\u201d Kim said. \u201cTrump\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 25th Amendment says that the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet may vote to declare a president \u201cunable to discharge the powers and the duties of his office\u201d and give the vice president the duties of acting president. A dispute over the president\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And Democratic leaders in Congress this week stopped short of backing the calls for Trump\u2019s removal. Instead, they have been pushing for a war powers resolution that would limit Trump\u2019s ability to conduct the operation in Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked whether Trump\u2019s rhetoric is worthy of impeachment or the 25th Amendment, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said on MS NOW\u2019s \u201cMorning Joe\u201d on Thursday, \u201cWell, in terms of, you know, impeachment and things of that matter, we\u2019ve said we\u2019ve ruled nothing out and we\u2019ve rule nothing in, but we\u2019re going to deal with what\u2019s in front of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also told Politico on both efforts, \u201cWe 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.\u201d Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has also stopped short of calling for Trump\u2019s removal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 powers resolution next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While war powers resolutions previously failed in both chambers, House leaders are hopeful that the events of the past two weeks will peel off enough Republicans to advance the measure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some Democrats this week also acknowledged the steep challenges that would be involved in removing Trump, saying their focus remains on the immediate moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf I\u2019m going to be honest with you, John, and I will, you\u2019ve got to be able to count in this business,\u201d Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the sponsor of a war powers resolution in the House, told CNN\u2019s John Berman when asked whether it\u2019s worth the effort to try to impeach Trump or invoke the 25th Amendment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhether he\u2019s [Trump is] competent, I can talk on that,\u201d he added. \u201cBut to do those things, you have to have the votes. And when I see that we have Republicans who won\u2019t even have hearings in regard to oversight, so there\u2019s no oversight by Republicans, and they control the House, they control the Senate, they have the presidency.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But even without the votes to remove Trump now, Democrats are looking ahead to next year, when a potential midterm victory could hand them greater power in Congress \u2014 and a renewed opportunity to press the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Such a scenario would thrust party leaders into a sharper spotlight, as pressure would mount for them to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs you all know, we are in the minority, so bringing forward impeachment right now, while he is guilty of a litany of high crimes and misdemeanors, I don\u2019t think it is the best use of our time. Let us get into the majority,\u201d Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) told reporters Thursday. \u201cLet us get a Senate majority and then hold this president to account.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n