When the dam breaches, it breaks all at once. What had been a slow drip of Democratic frustration over President Donald Trump’s Iran war erupted into a full-fledged stream of calls for his impeachment, and Rep. Joe Morelle of New York simply turned up the heat.
Rep. Joe Morelle of New York’s 25th Congressional District, which includes Monroe County, stated in a video message on Thursday: “President Trump is unfit for office. His actions in the last two weeks have underscored that. I will vote to remove him, whether it’s by the 25th Amendment or an impeachment vote in the House of Representatives”.
Although Morelle did not go into detail for the removal request, the timing speaks for itself. He was the second Democrat from upstate New York to call for Trump’s removal; a few days earlier, Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) made a similar call.
President Trump is unfit for office. His actions in the last two weeks have underscored that.
I will vote to remove him, whether it’s by the 25th Amendment or an impeachment vote in the House of Representatives. pic.twitter.com/xpPit4bm6K
— Joe Morelle (@RepJoeMorelle) April 9, 2026
The igniting spark? A Truth Social post that sent shockwaves through Washington and beyond. Trump posted Tuesday morning that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Iran failed to meet his deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz – a threat that, according to Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), “foreshadow[s] war crimes” and puts national security “at risk.”
For scores of legislators, that was the tipping point. Axios reported that by Tuesday night, more than 85 House Democrats, including members of the House Democratic leadership and well-known figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), had demanded that Trump be impeached or removed using the 25th Amendment.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called on Congress to return to session immediately, writing: “The House must pass articles of impeachment, and then the Senate must vote to convict and remove the President. Or, the cabinet and Vice President, with congressional concurrence, must invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump,” according to NBC News.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) pulled no punches, either: “After bombing a school and massacring young girls, the war criminal in the White House is threatening genocide. It’s time to invoke the 25th Amendment. This maniac should be removed from office,” she posted on X.
Even across the aisle, cracks started to appear. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), once a Trump stalwart, called his post “evil and madness” and also pushed for the 25th Amendment on X.
“Just because a President announces he’s agreed to a two-week ceasefire moments before he threatened to commit war crimes, does not mean he is suddenly fit to serve,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) said in a post on X.
Donald Trump is openly threatening war crimes against the entirety of Iranian civilization.
25th Amendment proceedings must begin immediately, but if the Cabinet is too cowardly, the House should begin the impeachment process now. pic.twitter.com/1aqVvfYfDL
— Rep. Diana DeGette (@RepDianaDeGette) April 7, 2026
The White House retaliated sharply as usual. “Democrats have been talking about removing 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,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said.
However, reality continues to clash with rhetoric. The Cabinet, which is made up of Trump supporters and Vice President JD Vance, would need to support the 25th Amendment, which has never been used in American history.
Although Democratic leaders are speaking with members of the House Judiciary Committee about “Trump administration accountability and the 25th Amendment,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has not yet pledged to launch a fresh impeachment campaign, according to Associated Press reports.
There’s a lot of hubbub, but the votes haven’t arrived yet. It remains to be seen if “the last two weeks” will prove to be a pivotal moment or simply another chapter in a lengthy story.
