Month: May 2025

House Democrat pushes to impeach ‘authoritarian’ Trump

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Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, is once again calling on his colleagues in the House to impeach President Donald Trump, saying the president has "devolved American democracy into authoritarianism." 

"I pen this communique with a heavy heart, driven by a conscience that will not allow me to ignore my well-founded, strong pre-election condemnation of Donald John Trump as a threat to American democracy that has now become our reality," Green wrote in a letter urging his colleagues to impeach the president.

Green argues that, contrary to what many believe, there does not need to be a constitutional crisis in order to impeach a president.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT ANNOUNCES ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST TRUMP

On Thursday, he filed H. Res. 415, "Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, of high crimes and misdemeanors."

In the articles of impeachment, Green claims that Trump has engaged in authoritarian rule, violated due process, denigrated federal judges and ignored court orders, including ones from the Supreme Court. He also claims that Trump condoned "untruthful statements" against the Court’s opinion regarding the deportation of accused MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

TOP HOUSE DEMS SAY THEY'LL JOIN GOP TO QUASH TRUMP IMPEACHMENT EFFORT

"An authoritarian does not have to commit a codified statutory offense to be impeached. The constitutional law that authoritarian President Trump would have Congress use to impeach a federal judge for ruling against him (Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution) is the same law that has been used, and can be used, to impeach him again for making his threats to democracy a reality," Green wrote in the articles of impeachment, He then vowed to "use that law again."

Green is the second member of Congress to issue articles of impeachment against Trump in the president’s second term. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., also called for Trump’s impeachment, but he later withdrew the bill after getting backlash from party leadership. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., reportedly called the bill "idiotic," according to Axios. However, Nadler was previously a sponsor of the measure.

In his letter, Green made it clear that he was not afraid to "stand alone" against Trump.

"I encourage all members to vote with their conscience. As for me, I stand where I have stood on impeachment, which is a question of conscience, even when the odds are against me — it is better for me to stand alone than not stand at all — it won’t be the first time," Green wrote.

Green has never been silent about his opposition to Trump, even making multiple attempts to impeach the president during his first term. In March 2025, he was removed from Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress after he heckled the president. He was eventually censured for the protest.

House Democrat pushes to impeach ‘authoritarian’ Trump

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, is once again calling on his colleagues in the House to impeach President Donald Trump, saying the president has "devolved American democracy into authoritarianism." 

"I pen this communique with a heavy heart, driven by a conscience that will not allow me to ignore my well-founded, strong pre-election condemnation of Donald John Trump as a threat to American democracy that has now become our reality," Green wrote in a letter urging his colleagues to impeach the president.

Green argues that, contrary to what many believe, there does not need to be a constitutional crisis in order to impeach a president.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT ANNOUNCES ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST TRUMP

On Thursday, he filed H. Res. 415, "Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, of high crimes and misdemeanors."

In the articles of impeachment, Green claims that Trump has engaged in authoritarian rule, violated due process, denigrated federal judges and ignored court orders, including ones from the Supreme Court. He also claims that Trump condoned "untruthful statements" against the Court’s opinion regarding the deportation of accused MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

TOP HOUSE DEMS SAY THEY'LL JOIN GOP TO QUASH TRUMP IMPEACHMENT EFFORT

"An authoritarian does not have to commit a codified statutory offense to be impeached. The constitutional law that authoritarian President Trump would have Congress use to impeach a federal judge for ruling against him (Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution) is the same law that has been used, and can be used, to impeach him again for making his threats to democracy a reality," Green wrote in the articles of impeachment, He then vowed to "use that law again."

Green is the second member of Congress to issue articles of impeachment against Trump in the president’s second term. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., also called for Trump’s impeachment, but he later withdrew the bill after getting backlash from party leadership. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., reportedly called the bill "idiotic," according to Axios. However, Nadler was previously a sponsor of the measure.

In his letter, Green made it clear that he was not afraid to "stand alone" against Trump.

"I encourage all members to vote with their conscience. As for me, I stand where I have stood on impeachment, which is a question of conscience, even when the odds are against me — it is better for me to stand alone than not stand at all — it won’t be the first time," Green wrote.

Green has never been silent about his opposition to Trump, even making multiple attempts to impeach the president during his first term. In March 2025, he was removed from Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress after he heckled the president. He was eventually censured for the protest.

Dems divided on Trump’s executive order aimed at slashing drug prices

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President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at slashing U.S. drug prices has divided Democrats on Capitol Hill, with some cautiously optimistic while others dismissed the move as a bluster.

Most Democratic lawmakers who spoke with Fox News Digital about the order noted they had not read into the details, but the reactions were mostly split.

"It certainly seems more bark than it is bite," Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the House Ways & Means Committee, told Fox News Digital. 

Neal said it "strikes me as though it's another example of the executive order that garners a lot of attention" with little impact, though he noted he was still looking into the details.

ANTI-ABORTION PROVIDER MEASURE IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' COULD SPARK HOUSE GOP REBELLION

Rep. George Latimer of New York, a first-term Democrat who unseated a former member of the progressive "Squad," ex-Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., signaled he was hopeful about the initiative.

"If we can keep drug costs low, that's a positive thing," Latimer said. "I don't, you know, oppose everything the president does, things that help people lower costs. If that's what this turns into, then yes, it's a worthwhile idea. But I have to be honest, I've got to read it more closely to understand it better."

Trump announced Monday that he was directing the Department of Health and Human Services to set price targets for pharmaceutical companies.

The president said the order would have pharmaceutical companies set drug prices on par with the lowest prices in other developed countries.

He said, "some prescription drug and pharmaceutical prices will be reduced almost immediately by 50 to 80 to 90%."

Democratic Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital when asked about the order, "It's always a good thing to reduce drug costs."

"I think it's a move in the right direction, let's just see the details," Correa added.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, like Neal, told Fox News Digital he was more skeptical.

"My feeling is that, like his…announcements during his first term, there's much talk and no meaningful reduction of drug prices," Doggett said. "It remains to be seen whether any patient in America will see a price reduced on a single drug as a result of this order. So, until I see action, I will not believe that he has truly committed to reducing prices."

House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., also said he did not believe Trump was "serious" when asked.

"All of this is just a disingenuous effort…on the part of House Republicans and Donald Trump, to pretend like they were looking out for people," Aguilar said. "If they were serious about it, the policy would be placed within their reconciliation bill. It's not. This is just a performance effort by the president."

BROWN UNIVERSITY IN GOP CROSSHAIRS AFTER STUDENT'S DOGE-LIKE EMAIL KICKS OFF FRENZY

Meanwhile, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., introduced a House bill to make Trump's order permanent.

"I rise today, to introduce as legislation, President Trump’s executive order for the most favored nation status on drug pricing," Khanna said on the House floor.

"My legislation will codify President Trump’s executive order, which basically says that Americans should not pay more for drugs than people in other countries and other parts of the world."

In an exclusive Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Trump argued that his executive order should offset Democrats' concerns with his "big, beautiful" budget reconciliation bill being pushed by Republicans.

Democrats have accused Republicans of using the bill to gut critical programs like Medicaid for millions of people who need it, while the GOP has contended it was just trying to eliminate waste and abuse within the system.

"It's the Democrats' fault that people are being ripped off for years and years. And now I hear Democrats saying, 'Oh, well, we're going to not go for the bill.' It's going to be very hard for them not to approve of the big, beautiful bill that we're doing," Trump said. "We're doing the biggest tax cuts in the history of our country because people are going to be getting a 50 to a 90% reduction on drug prices."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for a response.

Espionage, constitutional concerns abound from Trump detractors, allies over Qatari jet offer

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Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized President Donald Trump after he announced the Department of Defense plans to accept a jumbo jet from the government of Qatar, arguing the gift is riddled with both espionage concerns and constitutional questions. But as one expert tells Fox, the latter concern is likely overblown.

Trump ally Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for example, said during an interview on Tuesday that the acquisition of the plane poses "significant espionage and surveillance problems," while Democrats such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., declared, "Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional."

Reports spread Sunday morning that the Trump administration was expected to accept a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar's royal family, setting off concerns that Trump would personally take ownership of the plane and violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution. ABC News reported that Trump would use the jet until the end of his term, when it would be given to his presidential library. 

Trump confirmed and clarified in a Truth Social post later on Sunday that the Department of Defense was slated to receive the gift, while slamming Democrats for their criticism of the offer. 

HOUSE DEMOCRAT CALLS FOR 'IMMEDIATE' ETHICS PROBE OF QATARI PLANE GIFT TO TRUMP

"So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane," Trump wrote. "Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA."

At the heart of Democrats' concern over the matter is the emoluments clause in the Constitution, which states: "No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."

"Trump is literally trying to fly around on a plane from a foreign government while serving as president. That’s a violation of the Constitution. The Emoluments Clause wasn’t a suggestion. It’s the LAW," Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said Monday morning following the announcement. 

Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation's Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that it's questionable if the emoluments clause even applies to the president, as the Constitution typically stipulates when a clause specifically affects a president and cites the title, such as in the impeachment clause. 

"The clause was specifically inserted because of concerns by the Founders at the Constitutional Convention over corruption of our foreign diplomats, especially by the French government. It is questionable whether the emoluments clause even applies to the president since he is not named and the Constitution usually names the president when a provision applies to him. That is why the impeachment clause specifically provides that it applies to the ‘president, vice president and all civil officers of the United States.’ If ‘officers’ of the U.S. included the president, there would be no need for him to be separately listed," von Spakovsky explained. 

He added that the president is the individual "who appoints the ‘officers’ who are subject to the emoluments clause."

"Antonin Scalia, when he worked at the Justice Department, certainly agreed since he issued an opinion in 1974 pointing out that when the Constitution refers to an ‘officer,’ ‘it invariably refers to someone other than the President or Vice President,’" he continued. 

FLASHBACK: DEM CRITICAL OF TRUMP'S QATARI JET GIFT RODE CAMEL IN EXPENSES-PAID 2021 TRIP TO GULF EMIRATE

The jet offer comes after Trump railed against Boeing for pricey government deals to construct a new fleet of Air Force Ones. Even ahead of his first administration, Trump posted on social media in December 2016 that the Boeing "costs are out of control, more than $4 billion" to build the two aircraft.

Trump in 2018 awarded Boeing a $3.9 billion fixed-price agreement to manufacture two new jets. The construction of the jets, however, is not expected to be completed until 2029. 

"We're very disappointed that it's taking Boeing so long to build a new Air Force One," Trump said during a press conference on drug prices Monday morning. "You know, we have an Air Force One that's 40 years old. And if you take a look at that, compared to the new plane of the equivalent, you know, stature at the time, it's not even the same ballgame." 

TRUMP CLARIFIES OWNERSHIP OF AIRCRAFT IN DEFENSE OF QATAR'S GIFT

"When I first came in, I signed an order to get (the new Air Force One fleet) built," he continued. "I took it over from the Obama administration, they had originally agreed. I got the price down much lower. And then, when the election didn't exactly work out the way that it should have, a lot of work was not done on the plane because a lot of people didn't know they made change orders. That was so stupid, so ridiculous. And it ended up being a total mess, a real mess."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also brushed off concern over the Qatari royal family donating a Boeing jumbo jet to the U.S. Department of Defense, arguing on Monday there will be no quid pro quo arrangement and that the donation is under legal review to ensure full compliance with the law. 

Von Spakovsky said that if the plane is in fact a government-to-government gift – and not a personal gift to the president – the Trump administration is likely in the legal clear to accept the gift. 

"If this gift is being considered as a gift to the government of the U.S., there is no legal issue to consider, since there is no constitutional or legal problem with such a gift. If this is a personal gift to the president, the Justice Department would be weighing the constitutional issue I have raised – whether the emoluments clause even applies to the president," he said. 

Von Spakovsky said such a government-to-government gift "is no different than the thousands of cherry trees gifted to the U.S. by the Japanese government" in 1912 that still draw more than a million tourists to Washington, D.C., each spring. 

Allies of the president, such as Cruz, said espionage concerns weigh heavily over the planned deal, citing Qatar's ties to terrorist groups. 

"I’m not a fan of Qatar. I think they have a really disturbing pattern of funding theocratic lunatics who want to murder us, funding Hamas and Hezbollah. And that’s a real problem," Cruz said during an interview Tuesday on CNBC.

"I also think the plane poses significant espionage and surveillance problems," he added. "We’ll see how this issue plays out, but I certainly have concerns." 

TRUMP DEFENDS QATAR JUMBO JET OFFER AS TROUBLED BOEING FAILS TO DELIVER NEW AIR FORCE ONE FLEET

Democrats, such as Sens. Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Dick Durbin of Illinois also warned that the plane would come with security issues. Reed, for example, claimed in a statement that using the plane as Air Force One "would pose immense counterintelligence risks by granting a foreign nation potential access to sensitive systems and communications."

While Democrats and some Republicans have criticized Trump over the move, other Republican lawmakers have said they are zoned in on legislative matters and are not looped into the plane issue. 

"I actually haven't paid attention to it," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., previously told Fox News Digital. "I'm sorry to be so out of the loop on that. I've just been thinking about Medicaid and about what the House is sending over."

QATAR OFFERS TRUMP JUMBO JET TO SERVE AS AIR FORCE ONE

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, another Trump ally, said she didn't know enough about the deal to comment on it when pressed by Fox News Digital. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Eric Schmitt of Missouri also said they did not know details of the plane. 

Trump is currently in the midst of a four-day trip to the Middle East, including visiting Qatar on Wednesday, where his motorcade was met by dozens of camels, as well as Tesla Cybertrucks in an apparent nod to Department of Government Efficiency official and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The plane is not expected to be presented to the president nor accepted by Trump during his trip abroad. 

"The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!" Trump posted to his Truth Social account while in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. "It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used by our Government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive."

House progressive backs down from Trump impeachment push after pressure from fellow Dems

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A lone House Democrat pushing to impeach President Donald Trump has backed down from his effort to force a vote on the measure after pressure to do so from fellow liberals.

Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., aimed to force a vote on his seven articles of impeachment against Trump this week through a mechanism known as a privileged resolution that forces the House to reckon with a piece of legislation within two days of being in session.

Democratic leaders made their opposition to the effort known, however, and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told reporters it was a "distraction."

Thanedar later announced on X he would back off trying to force the vote.

ANTI-ABORTION PROVIDER MEASURE IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' COULD SPARK HOUSE GOP REBELLION

It comes after Democrats, including House Progressive Caucus Chairman Greg Casar, D-Texas, pushed back on the effort. He said he would vote against the measure and called it "unserious," according to Punchbowl News.

"This doomed impeachment vote is not about holding Trump accountable, but instead seems to be about the interest of the bill sponsor," Casar said.

House GOP leaders had planned a vote to table the measure, a procedural motion blocking a House-wide vote, but called it off after Thanedar apparently missed his window to force the vote.

Thanedar said in a statement on X afterward, "In the fifteen days since I filed seven articles of impeachment against President Trump, he has committed more impeachable offenses, most dangerously, accepting a $400 million private jet from Qatar, which even Republican Members of Congress have called wrong.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

"So, after talking with many colleagues, I have decided not to force a vote on impeachment today. Instead, I will add to my articles of impeachment and continue to rally the support of both Democrats and Republicans to defend the Constitution with me."

Later, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the situation "speaks for itself" when asked whether he pressured Thanedar to drop the motion.

Thanedar's resolution has caused a modest political headache for Democratic lawmakers at a time the party has struggled with messaging after the 2024 election.

"I have said before from this podium, this is not the right approach we should be taking," Aguilar said at his weekly press conference. "I'll join members of the leadership team in voting to table that motion."

Thanedar acknowledged his colleagues' concerns about his move during his own press conference Wednesday morning, though he insisted it would not deter him.

"Even some Democrats call me a lunatic, just like the president has called me lunatic," the Michigan Democrat said.

"But they have never said, nobody has said to me, ‘Mr. Thanedar, the seven articles of impeachment that you presented to the U.S. Congress, they’re a piece of s---. They're not good. You missed it, missed the point. They are not legally right.' They didn't do that. No one says that."

However, Aguilar said hours later it was not the right time to push an impeachment effort.

"This is such an impactful moment, and our colleagues are locking themselves in a room for 24 hours to protect and defend healthcare. We shouldn't be talking about this proposal that is not right, not timely," Aguilar said, referring to the House Energy and Commerce Committee's meeting on budget reconciliation, which has been ongoing since 2 p.m. Tuesday.

"This president is no stranger to impeachments. He's been impeached twice. Impeachment is a tool that can be used, but it takes weeks, months to do. Right now, the issue of the day is, will Hill Republicans stand up and support healthcare in this country?"

Hours before the expected vote, NBC News reported that House Democratic leaders pressed Thanedar not to show up for the chamber's 5 p.m. vote series, which would have meant he could not force the vote.

Republicans, meanwhile, seized on the disagreement.

"House Democrats have demonstrated once again they are willing to abuse the Constitution in their effort to impede the agenda of the American people," Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement before the vote.

"Their latest sham impeachment charade against President Trump is another embarrassing political stunt. Today, House Republicans will move promptly to discard it."

When reached for comment on Thanedar's push Tuesday, White House spokesperson Liz Huston told Fox News Digital, "Every action taken by President Trump and his administration is fully lawful and firmly rooted in the will of the American people. President Trump is doing exactly what he promised: securing our border, bringing in trillions of dollars in investment to America and restoring common-sense leadership."

"Meanwhile, Democrats are once again showing where their true priorities lie — siding with illegal immigrants over the safety, security and well-being of hardworking American citizens. This desperate impeachment stunt is nothing more than a reckless political act that the American people see right through," the White House said.

Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report

Top House Dems say they’ll join GOP to quash Trump impeachment effort

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Top House Democrats said Wednesday they will join Republicans in blocking a House-wide vote on impeaching President Donald Trump.

"I have said before from this podium, this is not the right approach we should be taking," House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said at his weekly press conference. "I'll join members of the leadership team in voting to table that motion."

Aguilar called the push by one lawmaker within his caucus a "distraction" from Democrats' messaging that Republicans are trying to gut Medicaid via Trump's "big, beautiful bill" – a narrative the GOP has pushed back on.

ANTI-ABORTION PROVIDER MEASURE IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' COULD SPARK HOUSE GOP REBELLION

Democrats are scrambling after Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., stood on the House floor Tuesday and invoked a maneuver that effectively forces House leaders to take up a piece of legislation within two House working days.

House Republican leadership has opted for a vote on Wednesday evening to table the measure, a procedural motion that, if successful, would block a House-wide vote on impeachment.

Thanedar acknowledged his colleagues' concerns about his move during his own press conference Wednesday morning, though he insisted it would not deter him.

"Even some Democrats call me a lunatic, just like the president has called me lunatic," the Michigan Democrat said.

"But they have never said, nobody has said to me, ‘Mr. Thanedar, the seven articles of impeachment that you presented to the U.S. Congress, they’re a piece of s---. They're not good. You missed it, missed the point. They are not legally right.' They didn't do that. No one says that."

However, Aguilar said hours later that it was not the right time to push an impeachment effort.

"This is such an impactful moment, and our colleagues are locking themselves in a room for 24 hours to protect and defend healthcare. We shouldn't be talking about this proposal that is not right, not timely," Aguilar said, referring to the House Energy & Commerce Committee's meeting on budget reconciliation, which has been ongoing since 2 p.m. Tuesday.

"This president is no stranger to impeachments, he's been impeached twice. Impeachment is a tool that can be used, but it takes weeks, months to do. Right now the issue of the day is, will hill Republicans stand up and support healthcare in this country?"

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

When reached for comment on Thanedar's push on Tuesday, White House spokesperson Liz Huston told Fox News Digital, "Every action taken by President Trump and his administration is fully lawful and firmly rooted in the will of the American people. President Trump is doing exactly what he promised: securing our border, bringing in trillions of dollars in investment to America, and restoring common-sense leadership."

"Meanwhile, Democrats are once again showing where their true priorities lie — siding with illegal immigrants over the safety, security, and well-being of hardworking American citizens. This desperate impeachment stunt is nothing more than a reckless political act that the American people see right through," the White House said.

No Republican is expected to vote to proceed with impeachment.