Efforts by “Squad” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and others to impeach President Donald Trump over the strikes on Iran faced a major setback on Monday when a key Democratic swing senator declared the proposal would be dead on arrival in the Senate.
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), who publicly supported Trump’s decision to strike Iran on Sunday, dismissed rumors that Democrats would try to pressure Republicans into pursuing impeachment proceedings against the president. The already unlikely idea gained traction after Democratic leaders accused Trump of unconstitutionally initiating a “war,” a power reserved for Congress.
“Of course, no [he should not be impeached],” the Pennsylvania Democrat told Fox News on Monday. “She knows it. I know it. We all know it… that’s not going anywhere. He’s been impeached twice, and now he’s still our president as well too, so it’s not going anywhere, and I don’t think [bringing it up is] helpful.”
Fetterman’s remarks follow AOC’s suggestion of impeaching Trump for a historic third time, after 14 “bunker buster” bombs were dropped on Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” the Bronx lawmaker wrote shortly after news of the strike became public.
Using the term “impeachment” casually can diminish its significance, Fetterman suggested. “I think if you throw that term around, that actually diminishes the severity of what impeachment is really reserved for,” he added.
However, other Democrats were more circumspect in their responses to the strike. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) claimed Trump “failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East.”
“Donald Trump shoulders complete and total responsibility for any adverse consequences that flow from his unilateral military action,” Jeffries added in a statement, without saying that the White House attempted to contact him ahead of the strikes but he didn’t answer his phone.
