By John L. Micek | jmicek@masslive.com
Massachusetts lawmakers are calling for President Donald Trump to be removed from office over his Tuesday threat that “a whole civilization will die” if Iran fails to reopen to Strait of Hormuz.
“This is not normal. This is not just ‘Trump being Trump.” This is an insane man who is unfit for office and needs to be removed immediately,” U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-6th District, a Marine veteran, posted to X on Tuesday afternoon.
Republican Trump consumed the news cycle with a threat posted to his Truth Social site, asserting that Iran will “never to be brought back again,” if it doesn’t accede to his demands.
“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” Trump continued. “We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”
The threat comes after Trump previously said on Sunday that he would bomb Iran’s energy infrastructure if its leadership did not open the strait, which is a main thoroughfare for the world’s oil supplies, NBC News reported.
Earlier Tuesday morning, the U.S. military struck Kharg Island, which is critical to Iran’s oil industry, CNN reported.
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-1st District, the top Democrat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, called on U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to act immediately.
This is beyond the pale. Enough is enough. Republicans have done nothing but enable the President’s war of choice, and for what? We are almost six weeks into this unauthorized war. No objectives,” Neal, of Springfield, posted to X. “No endgame. Just reckless rhetoric and needlessly risking American lives. Speaker Johnson needs to call the House back into session, Republicans need to stop their subservience, and Congress needs to reassert its war power authority.”
U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-2nd District, offered a similar — albeit far more brief — sentiment.
“The President of the United States is a madman,” McGovern posted to X.
So did U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District.
“This is a horrifying threat of genocidal war crimes. The lives of civilians and service members alike are at stake here,” the Boston lawmaker said in a post to X. “Congress must stop this war and remove Trump from the White House.”
Calls grew across social media on Tuesday for Trump to stand down under the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Among them was former GOP U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who was once a staunch Trump ally and the radio talk show host Alex Jones, The Independent reported.
Trump is “threatening war crimes of horrific proportions against civilians. It’s deranged,” U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said on X. “This madness must stop.”
Democratic lawmakers have also raised questions about the strategic aims of the joint U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign.
“Strategically, this war is a failure,” U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-4th District, also a Marine veteran, said during an appearance on Fox News earlier this week.
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., called Trump “an unstable warmonger.”
A war powers resolution will not be enough. Yes. We need to assert congressional authority and stop this illegal war in Iran. But, Trump is clearly an unstable warmonger at odds with the will of the people,” Markey posted to X. “Removal is the top priority. No more war criminals in the White House.”
