Impeachment has become a calling card for progressive Democrats upset with the Trump administration, often used as a response to every action, big or small, taken by the president. But few Democrats are outright in support of impeaching Trump yet, instead focusing their ire as of now on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) introduced impeachment articles against Noem earlier this month, accusing her of obstructing Congress, violating public trust, and self-dealing. The articles have close to 160 official co-sponsors, growing drastically after 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday. This came a few weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot another Minnesota resident, 37-year-old Renee Good. Both Good and Pretti were U.S. citizens.
Democratic leadership has been wary of supporting impeachment pushes from its members, particularly those targeting Trump. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) have previously argued that there are more important issues for the Democratic caucus to be focused on.
Jeffries and the Democratic leadership have called on Trump to fire Noem and said that if he refuses, the option to impeach Noem is on the table. Neither Jeffries, Aguilar, nor House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) has signed on to Kelly’s resolution, however.
“I have said before from this podium, this is not the right approach we should be taking,” Aguilar said in May 2025 after Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) filed seven articles of impeachment against Trump.
Thanedar ultimately pulled his impeachment articles, which he had filed as “privileged” to force an immediate vote, after a pressure campaign from caucus leaders and members, who called his resolution “not timely” and “unserious.” Even progressive leaders were opposed to taking a “doomed” impeachment vote.
Thanedar also filed articles of impeachment against War Secretary Pete Hegseth following the “Signal-gate” text message scandal involving war plans. Jeffries has said that Hegseth has “got to go,” but he admitted last year that Democrats would likely not pursue a formal impeachment process due to Republicans holding a trifecta.
But some Democratic strategists warn that calling for impeachment could come off more as a “publicity stunt,” even in Noem’s case, given the party’s eagerness to throw around the once-rare procedure to remove a president or official who committed high crimes and misdemeanors.
“Moving for impeachment may be a little too much,” said veteran Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf. “Forcing a change would probably be better. …Impeachment is a rather final event. They can’t claim victory if they don’t get an impeachment. They would be able to claim victory if they had a resignation.”
Democratic strategist Brad Bannon said he thinks impeachment should be a “lower priority” for congressional Democrats and that they should focus more on the budget fight in the Senate over Homeland Security funding.
“I think the Democratic energy should be focused on forcing Trump to get her out, to force her to resign, to keep up the pressure on her that way,” Bannon said. “Push very hard on the budget battle, and take your foot off the gas on impeachment, because I think fighting the budget battle could get you what you want.”
Bannon said “impeachment is an empty process,” since at least 67 votes were needed for conviction in the Senate.
Both Bannon and Sheinkopf said Democrats should instead pressure Trump to remove Noem, rather than the party venturing down a likely failed avenue.
“Demanding that there be a resignation because American values are violated, and this is not what we do as a nation, allows Democrats to rattle American values in front of people’s faces,” Sheinkopf said. “The word impeachment, it’s just lost its meaning. Why was Clinton impeached? Sex behavior. Trump was impeached twice in what amounted to nothing.”
“Calling for an impeachment sounds great, but it’s more of an intellectual argument than it is an emotional one,” Sheinkopf added.
Not everyone agrees with that advice, however. Corbin Trent, a former Bernie Sanders strategist and former communications director for Ocasio-Cortez, argued that pressuring Trump won’t get the party anywhere.
“I don’t think Trump gives a s*** what Democrats think,” Trent said. “So I don’t think Democrats calling on her to resign plays even an iota with what Trump ultimately does or thinks.”
Trump defended Noem on Wednesday, giving a one-word answer of “no” when asked if Noem would step down. He said, “I do,” later in an interview with Fox News when asked if he had confidence in Noem.
ICE AND IMMIGRATION DIRECTORS TO TESTIFY BEFORE HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE
Trent said now that impeachment has become less of a “solemn undertaking” and is now “done in the public square,” he thinks Democrats need to be “bolder.”
“I think it’s important to do,” Trent said of the impeachment push. “I think Democrats need to be stronger. I think they need to show some spine, an alternative vision for America. And they’re going to have to clean house at some point. You might as well start talking about doing it now.”