President Donald Trump hit out at a Michigan Democrat’s attempt to impeach him.
Speaking during a rally, Trump called Representative Shri Thanedar, who has introduced seven articles of impeachment against the president for a range of reasons, a “lunatic.”
Why It Matters
Trump was impeached twice during his first presidency. In both cases, he was acquitted by the U.S. Senate. Serious attempts to impeach the president might undermine his authority.
On Monday, Michigan Representative Thanedar said he was introducing the impeachment articles for various actions including Trump’s use of the “unlawful” Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which implemented cuts without the permission of Congress, Trump’s implementation of “damaging tariffs” on the U.S.’s trading partners and “bribery and corruption.”
He also said Trump’s actions surrounding Kilmar Abrego Garcia were “the final straw.” Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who has been living in Maryland since 2005, was deported last month and detained in El Salvador after the Trump administration accused him of having ties to a gang.
His case has sparked controversy because he has no criminal convictions, a judge previously ruled he could not be deported back to El Salvador because of potential gang persecution, and an ICE official admitted he has been deported in “error.”
What To Know
Speaking during a rally celebrating his first 100 days in office, Trump said those wanting to impeach him had “gone totally crazy.”
“Today they did it again. Some guy that I’ve never heard of…is he a congressman? This guy, he said…’ladies and gentlemen, I am going to start the impeachment of Donald Trump.’ What the hell did I do? Here we go again.”
“They want to impeach me,” Trump said, as his supporters booed. “This lunatic.”
“They’ve gone totally crazy,” he added.
What People Are Saying
Michigan Representative Shri Thanedar said in a video on X, formerly Twitter that”I have introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump,” and accused him of “tearing” America down and “endangering our democracy.”
“Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unfit to serve as President and represents a clear and present danger to our nation’s constitution and our democracy,” he said in a statement. “His unlawful actions have subverted the justice system, violated the separation of powers, and placed personal power and self-interest above public service. We cannot wait for more damage to be done. Congress must act.”
What Happens Next
Thanedar’s efforts to impeach the president will almost certainly fail because the Republican Party controls both the House and the Senate.
Meanwhile, Abrego Garcia will remain in El Salvador while the debate continues over whether he can return to the U.S.
The post Donald Trump Responds to Impeachment Attempt: ‘This Lunatic’ appeared first on Newsweek.
