Democrats block surprise Trump impeachment vote over Iran strikes

A surprise move to impeach President Donald Trump over his recent military strikes on Iran sparked intense backlash among House Democrats on Tuesday.

Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) forced a vote on a five-page resolution accusing Trump of violating the Constitution by ordering unilateral strikes on Iranian nuclear sites without congressional approval. Green argued the president "disregarded the doctrine of separation of powers by usurping Congress's power to declare war" and said he had "not one scintilla of regret" for pushing the issue forward.

The resolution was swiftly blocked, with 128 Democrats joining Republicans to stop it from advancing. Only 79 Democrats, largely progressives from solidly blue districts, voted to allow the measure to proceed.

Behind the scenes, Democratic lawmakers expressed anger and exasperation over what many viewed as a poorly timed and counterproductive move.

“It was a completely unserious and selfish move,” one House Democrat told Axios anonymously. Another said there was “a lot” of frustration among party members, adding, “I think you heard it from leadership today, they're frustrated.”

“Most people think it’s unhelpful,” a third Democrat said. Leadership figures, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), both voted against Green’s measure.

The episode highlighted a broader challenge facing House Democrats: balancing grassroots pressure for impeachment with concerns about political fallout among moderate voters.

“It puts people in a difficult situation,” a fourth lawmaker said. “There are a lot of other things we should be focused on right now,” another added.

Some Democrats argued Green’s resolution was weaker than other impeachment attempts, including a recent effort by Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) that was similarly unpopular among colleagues. Critics also questioned the legal viability of the resolution.

“We’re not even clear the courts would uphold this,” said one Democratic member, pointing to the ongoing constitutional debate over presidential war powers. “This kind of motion is premature... I just don’t think it’s ripe.”

Still, a small group of Democrats defended the vote as necessary. Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.) said, “My constituents have been calling for articles of impeachment knowing we don’t have the votes to pass them. Part of our job is to put things on the record.”

Thanedar echoed her sentiment, saying bluntly, “This president should be impeached.”

For his part, Green stood by his decision to force the vote, describing it as a matter of “conscience.”

“Do we really want to give this president the power to take over 300 million people to war without consulting with Congress?” he asked.