Rep. Paul Tonko calls for impeachment after Trump's statement on Iran – Spectrum News
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Saying that President Donald Trump "is publicly threatening to commit genocide," U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko of New York called Tuesday for the House of Representatives to reconvene and open impeachment proceedings against the president.
Tonko’s statement comes in the wake of Trump’s social media warning that a "whole civilization will die tonight" if Tehran does not meet his latest deadline for the Islamic Republic to agree to a deal that includes reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz. The Democrat, who represents New York’s 20th Congressional District, said the president’s post can’t be seen as "mere idle threats."
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," if a deal isn’t reached, Trump said in a post Tuesday morning, while keeping open the possibility of an off-ramp, saying that "maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen."
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned the U.S. that attacks on civilian infrastructure are banned under international law, according to his spokesperson.
"We must take his words at face value, and when we do, there is only one clear conclusion: this is genocidal talk from an unhinged madman President," Tonko said in his statement. "For love of country, for the freedoms we cherish and for the values we hold dear, the House must immediately reconvene and vote to impeach Donald Trump."
Trump was impeached in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in seeking Ukrainian authorities’ intervention to influence the 2020 presidential election. He was impeached in 2021 for incitement of insurrection in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Trump is the only U.S. president to be impeached twice. Three U.S. presidents have been impeached, including Democrats Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, but all were acquitted by the Senate.
"The Iranian regime has until 8PM Eastern Time to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States. Only the President knows where things stand and what he will do," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement in response to Tonko.