House GOP Hesitation on Impeaching Judges Blocking Trump’s Agenda
Despite former President Donald Trump’s calls for the impeachment of judges perceived to be obstructing his policies, House Republican leaders are reportedly hesitant to pursue full-scale impeachment proceedings. Sources familiar with the discussions indicate that leadership views impeachment as a less effective approach compared to other potential avenues for holding "activist" judges accountable.
While acknowledging that the matter is under consideration following Trump’s specific call to impeach U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg, multiple sources familiar with the situation suggest that impeachment faces significant hurdles, both politically and practically. Judge Boasberg recently issued an emergency injunction against the Trump administration’s deportation of suspected Tren de Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act.
However, even if an impeachment resolution were to pass the House, its chances of success in the Senate appear slim. The current composition of the Senate, with only 53 Republicans, means that any conviction would require Democratic support to reach the necessary two-thirds threshold. This reality has led some within the House GOP to question the value of pursuing a potentially futile effort.
"I don’t think we know if we have the votes, and it’s another intense whipping process for something that won’t move at all in the Senate," one senior House GOP aide told Fox News Digital. The aide suggested that the focus should be on strategies with a higher likelihood of garnering broader support and achieving tangible results. "I think our focus is to do something that is easier to get votes for and could actually get all the Republicans in the Senate."
Another senior House GOP aide expressed even greater skepticism, stating, "It’s likelier that President Trump will acquire Canada as our 51st state than the U.S. House of Representatives impeaching federal judges. This is an impossible task."
A third source familiar with House GOP leadership discussions echoed these sentiments, noting, "The impeachment route isn’t anyone’s favorite on this." The source indicated that the push for impeachment is primarily driven by a faction of conservatives within the House Freedom Caucus, who appear emboldened by Trump’s support for impeaching Judge Boasberg.
Rep. Brandon Gill, a Republican from Texas, has already introduced a resolution to impeach Judge Boasberg, accusing him of abusing his power. Gill has characterized Boasberg as a "rogue" judge who is "overstepping" his authority.
Despite the reservations of some leaders, the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, is reportedly considering holding a hearing on the matter. Jordan had previously stated that all options were on the table. Other Republican representatives, including Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Eli Crane of Arizona, and Andy Ogles of Tennessee, are also reportedly pushing resolutions to impeach other federal judges who have blocked Trump’s policies.
Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on the Constitution, has argued that all options should be available to Republicans when addressing judicial actions they deem to be undermining the presidency. "We ought to look at [impeachment], we ought to look at jurisdiction-stripping, we ought to look at every option that needs to be addressed about judges that are actively taking steps to try to undermine the presidency," Roy stated. He also pointed out that even a House impeachment carries a symbolic weight, although he stopped short of endorsing any specific course of action.
The article draws a parallel to the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, highlighting the difficulty of navigating such a process even with a narrow majority. The Mayorkas impeachment required two House votes due to Republican defections, ultimately passing by a narrow margin. While the Mayorkas impeachment ultimately failed in the Senate, the article notes that it remains a permanent stain on his record.
While acknowledging the challenges, the article suggests that Republican leaders may be more successful in achieving critical votes with Trump back in the White House, potentially leveraging his influence to sway holdouts.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is reportedly keeping all options open, at least publicly. A spokesperson for Johnson stated that he would consider all available options to address "activist judges." "Activist judges with political agendas pose a significant threat to the rule of law, equal justice, and the separation of powers. The speaker looks forward to working with the Judiciary Committee as they review all available options under the Constitution to address this urgent matter," the spokesperson said.
Finally, the article notes that an alternative approach gaining traction is a bill proposed by Rep. Darrell Issa of California, which aims to restrict federal district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions. This option has reportedly received support from Trump as well.
