Efforts by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and other progressives to impeach President Donald Trump over his military strike on Iran faced immediate resistance, particularly from within their own party. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) firmly rejected the idea, emphasizing that Trump’s previous impeachments had not removed him from office and suggesting that pushing for a third impeachment would be ineffective and counterproductive. Fetterman also warned that overusing the term “impeachment” could dilute its significance. AOC’s call for action came in response to Trump’s unauthorized bombing of Iranian nuclear sites using bunker buster bombs, which she and allies like Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) argued violated the Constitution and the War Powers Act. However, Casten acknowledged there likely weren’t enough votes to actually carry out an impeachment.

Responses from Democratic leadership were mixed. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Trump’s failure to seek congressional authorization and warned of possible dire consequences from escalating tensions in the Middle East. On the other side, Republican leaders defended the strike. Vice President J.D. Vance argued that Trump had the authority to act preemptively to prevent nuclear proliferation, and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) pointed to similar military actions by President Obama, noting that Democrats had not called for impeachment then. Lawler accused Trump critics of double standards and “Trump derangement.” The debate underscored internal divisions within the Democratic Party and the broader political rift over presidential war powers and accountability.