Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) signaled on Tuesday that she is not backing an emerging push from progressive Democrats to impeach President Donald Trump over his recent unauthorized military strikes on Iran. Pelosi’s comments reflect widening skepticism within her party, even as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) continues to lead the symbolic charge.
“No, no, that’s a big threshold to cross,” Pelosi said when asked about impeachment. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.” Her remarks came just days after the Trump administration launched a high-impact military operation, code-named Midnight Hammer, involving the use of 14 bunker-busting bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities. While the operation has since led to a tenuous ceasefire with Israel’s involvement, it reignited debate in Congress over the president’s unilateral use of force.
Pelosi is not alone in her reluctance. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), a key figure in the first two Trump impeachments, also expressed doubt. “Trump has committed impeachable offenses,” Nadler told Semafor, “but impeachment doesn’t work.” Nadler’s statement adds weight to growing sentiment that another impeachment attempt, especially in a Republican-controlled Senate, is politically unviable.
The renewed impeachment calls began Saturday when Ocasio-Cortez accused Trump of violating the War Powers Resolution by authorizing the Iran strikes without congressional approval. “It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment,” she posted on X. She argued that the president had “impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations.”
The strikes were followed by a second wave of attacks from Israel targeting IRGC command centers, further escalating tensions before both nations agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Trump responded to AOC’s move with typical ferocity on Truth Social:
“Stupid AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the ‘dumbest’ people in Congress, is now calling for my Impeachment, despite the fact that the Crooked and Corrupt Democrats have already done that twice before,” he wrote. “The reason for her ‘rantings’ is all of the Victories that the U.S.A. has had under the Trump Administration.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) also dismissed the impeachment effort, saying plainly on Fox News, “It’s going nowhere.” He added, “She knows it. I know it. We all know it. He’s been impeached twice, and now he’s still our president.”
Despite the backlash, AOC has not backed down publicly, though she has not announced any concrete steps toward drafting articles of impeachment. Her office has not commented on Pelosi’s or Nadler’s remarks.
Meanwhile, President Trump is en-route to the Netherlands for the NATO summit in The Hague, where he is expected to tout the ceasefire agreement and press European allies to increase their defense budgets. Before boarding Marine One, Trump again lashed out at Ocasio-Cortez, mocking her appearance and attacking her record on crime in her district.
“How dare ‘The Mouse’ tell us how to run the United States of America!” he said, using a derisive nickname he’s previously used for the congresswoman.
