The ceasefire announcement did little to quiet the storm inside Washington. Even as diplomats scrambled to hold the fragile agreement together, Democratic lawmakers were flooding social media with calls for Trump’s impeachment, the invocation of the 25th Amendment, or both- arguing that a president who had threatened to wipe out an entire civilisation had demonstrated, beyond any reasonable doubt, that he was unfit to hold office.
Senior senators, House committee members, individual congresswomen and congressmen, a former vice president, and at least one state governor all joined the chorus seeking Trump’s impeachement within hours of one another.
AOC: ‘We Are Playing With the Brink’
Few voices carried more force than that of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who made clear that Tuesday’s ceasefire had not changed her position in the slightest.
“The President has threatened a genocide against the Iranian people, and is continuing to leverage that threat,” she wrote on X. “We cannot risk the world nor the wellbeing of our nation any longer. Whether by his Cabinet or Congress, the President must be removed from office. We are playing with the brink.”
Schumer Welcomes the Ceasefire — With a Sharp Dig
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer adopted a slightly different register, welcoming the ceasefire whilst making his contempt for the process that led to it abundantly clear.
“I’m glad Trump backed off and is desperately searching for any sort of exit ramp from his ridiculous bluster,” Schumer wrote on X.
Senator Markey: ‘Removal Is the Top Priority’
Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts has been among the most vocal in demanding accountability. Even after the ceasefire was reported, he made clear that the reprieve did not erase what had preceded it.
“We need to assert congressional authority and stop this illegal war in Iran. But, Trump is clearly an unstable warmonger at odds with the will of the people. Removal is the top priority. No more war criminals in the White House,” he said.
Markey added that he would support any constitutional mechanism available to achieve that outcome. “Whether it’s 25th Amendment or impeachment, he will support any avenue to remove Trump from office. We cannot leave this man in charge of America’s nuclear weapons as he threatens to end an entire civilisation. And Congress must not fund this reckless administration,” he said.
He had also said earlier that while he is “glad there is a reported ceasefire deal” that Trump can’t “threaten war crimes with impunity”, before calling on Congress to “stop this war and remove Donald Trump.”
A Cascade of Congressional Voices
The calls for removal came from across the Democratic caucus, in language that grew increasingly unsparing as the hours passed.
Congresswoman Shontel Brown said “Trump took the world to the brink. For no clear purpose” and that he “is clearly unhinged, unwell, and unfit to lead,” calling for the US to “invoke the 25th amendment.”
Congresswoman Julie Johnson, who represents a Texas district, said Trump is showing “erratic, reckless leadership” and “must be removed from office,” adding: “This is a serious conflict, not a reality show. We need steady, diplomatic leadership. What we’re seeing now is insane behaviour from a deranged president. It’s time to invoke the 25th Amendment.”
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was characteristically direct, writing: “This is not ok. Invoke the 25th amendment. Impeach. Remove. This unhinged lunatic must be removed from office.”
Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari targeted Vice President JD Vance specifically, saying he should “convene the cabinet immediately to invoke the 25th amendment and remove Trump from office … instead of leaking to the press that he was opposed to the war.”
Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to immediately convene Congress while simultaneously urging the cabinet to act. “The Cabinet needs to invoke the 25th Amendment. But Congress can’t just sit on its hands and wait for that to happen when the President is threatening to commit war crimes TONIGHT,” she wrote. “This is all hands on deck – Democrats, Republicans, Independents – AMERICANS must look at using any and every tool to stop the President and his unauthorised war, including the 25th Amendment, Impeachment, and War Powers Resolutions.”
Congressman Ro Khanna of California framed his objection in constitutional terms: “We need to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump. Threatening war crimes is a blatant violation of our constitution and the Geneva Conventions.”
Congressman Mark Pocan put the question starkly: “This is stuff you wouldn’t even see from Putin, let alone the American president. Isn’t it time for the 25th Amendment?”
Congressman Jimmy Gomez said the amendment “exists for moments like this,” while Congressman Robert Garcia said Trump “has lost his mind” and that “his cabinet and those around him must be loyal to the Constitution and invoke the 25th Amendment.”
Harris Speaks Out: ‘This Is Abhorrent’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the 2024 presidential election to Trump, did not hold back either.
“Trump’s recklessness is needlessly putting our brave service members in harm’s way, destroying America’s global standing, and making life even more unaffordable for the American people. We must all stand against this and oppose funding this illegal war of choice,” she wrote.
Harris added: “This is abhorrent, and the American people do not support this.”
Even Some Republicans Are Uneasy
The alarm is not entirely confined to the Democratic side of the aisle. Republican Senator Ron Johnson said he does not support Trump’s threats and hoped that the president’s most extreme language amounted to nothing more than posturing.
“I am hoping and praying that President Trump is, that this really is bluster. I do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure. I do not want to see that. We are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them,” Johnson said on the podcast ‘John Solomon Reports.’
More strikingly still, former Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had a well-documented falling out with Trump, posted a blunt message on social media: “25TH AMENDMENT. Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilisation. This is evil and madness.”
Illinois Governor J B Pritzker echoed the sentiment: “This is not foreign policy, it’s a deranged madman threatening to wipe out an entire country. It’s past time. The 25th Amendment must be invoked.”
The White House Fires Back
White House spokesman Davis Ingle dismissed the Democratic calls as “pathetic.”
“This is pathetic. Democrats have been talking about impeaching President Trump since before he was even sworn into office. The Democrats in Congress are deranged, weak, and ineffective, which is why their approval ratings are at historic lows,” Ingle said in a statement.
What Comes Next
The ceasefire has, for now, lowered the immediate temperature. But the political battle inside Washington shows no sign of cooling. With peace talks set to begin in Islamabad on Friday and the two-week window already ticking down, the question of whether Congress will take any formal action, or whether the calls for impeachment and the 25th Amendment will remain what they have historically tended to be: expressions of outrage rather than legislative action, remains very much open.
- Democratic leaders are increasingly vocal about the need to remove Trump from office due to his rhetoric.
- Concerns about presidential authority and accountability are resonating across party lines.
- The call for impeachment reflects a broader anxiety about U.S. foreign policy and national security.
