President Donald Trump is facing renewed impeachment efforts following a filing Tuesday from U.S. Rep Al Green (D-TX), who accused the president of having “devolved democracy into authoritarianism” by bypassing Congress in striking Iran last weekend.
“In starting his illegal and unconstitutional war with Iran without the constitutionally-mandated consent of Congress or appropriate notice to Congress, President Trump acted in direct violation of the War Powers Clause of the Constitution,” the article of impeachment reads.
“President Trump has devolved and continues to devolve American democracy into authoritarianism by disregarding the separation of powers and now, usurping congressional war powers.”
Trump has faced pushback from some members of Congress for approving military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, largely from Democratic lawmakers. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) filed a war powers resolution last week in an effort to prevent war with Iran, and called the strikes "unconstitutional" given the power to declare war rests solely with Congress.
A lone Republican lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), has voiced opposition to the strikes as well, co-sponsoring a war powers resolution in the House alongside U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA).
Trump has argued the strikes were necessary and well within his constitutional authority, informing the U.S. Senate Monday that he “acted pursuant to (his) constitutional authority as commander in chief and chief executive and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations.”
Tuesday’s filing was not the first article of impeachment filed against Trump, or the first filed by Green, who in May, filed an article of impeachment over Trump’s calls to impeach judges over opposition to his mass deportations, as well as his administration’s failure to allow for due process for migrants.
While Green’s latest filing largely focuses on the strikes on Iran, which he notes Trump “failed to seek prior congressionally-mandated authorization for the use of military force,” and that “congressional leaders were not appropriately briefed or notified of the attack plans,” it also cites Trump’s continued targeting of federal judges who oppose his mass deportations.
“President Trump’s unilateral, unprovoked use of force without congressional authorization or notice constitutes an abuse of power when there was no imminent threat to the United States,” the filing reads.
“(This) facilitates the devolution of American democracy into authoritarianism, with an authoritarian president who has instigated an attack on the United States Capitol, denied persons due process of the law, and called for the impeachment of federal judges who ruled against him — making Donald J. Trump a threat to American democracy.”