U.S. Representative Al Green (D-TX), a Democrat from Houston, has announced his intention to file articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. This marks the congressman’s fifth such attempt since 2017. The impeachment effort is based on Trump’s remarks regarding the Gaza Strip during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The announcement was made on February 5, 2025, with Green, who represents Texas’ 9th congressional district, citing Trump’s suggestion to take over the Gaza Strip and relocate Palestinians as an act of “ethnic cleansing.” Green has been a strong critic of Trump since his first presidential term.
“Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the President of the United States, the most powerful person in the world,” Green asserted during his announcement. He argued that Trump’s statement is a crime against humanity and necessitates urgent congressional action. Green further stressed that “injustice in Gaza is a threat to justice in the United States.”
This latest impeachment move by Green is one of the quickest against a U.S. president after assuming office. The congressman has previously spearheaded several unsuccessful impeachment efforts against Trump since 2017, including co-leading the second impeachment following the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. His first impeachment initiative was in 2017, making him the first member of Congress to formally seek Trump’s removal from office, an effort that garnered support from 58 House Democrats.
House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Trump’s Gaza proposal as a “bold, decisive action” towards regional peace. Democratic leadership, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, has not endorsed Green’s impeachment push. Representative Pete Aguilar stated that impeachment is not a priority for the caucus. It mirrors previous reactions to Green’s impeachment efforts, which have consistently failed to secure extensive Democratic support.
Green, a member of the House Financial Services Committee and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, has concentrated his congressional career on corporate responsibility and consumer protection initiatives. His work has primarily focused on reducing economic disparities and promoting financial equity.
His past impeachment attempts have included charges related to Trump’s defense of white nationalists after the Charlottesville rally and criticism of NFL players who took a knee during the national anthem.
“The people have to demand it, and when they demand it, it will be done,” Green declared, underscoring his support for a grassroots-led impeachment movement. He has consistently asserted that public demand, not political calculations, should propel impeachment. Green stated that “the people have got to move forward” for impeachment to succeed.
The proposed impeachment articles face considerable hurdles in the Republican-controlled House, where the GOP holds a thin majority. Green’s past impeachment efforts have garnered some Democratic support, with his third attempt in July 2019 receiving 95 votes, an increase from the initial 58 in December 2017. While other Democratic lawmakers have joined Green in criticizing Trump’s Gaza comments, they have stopped short of supporting impeachment. Republican responses have varied, with some endorsing Trump’s proposal as a regional security solution while others reject it outright.
Green’s persistent impeachment attempts have elicited commendation and criticism within his party. Some Democrats have contended that his actions could backfire politically, especially when he stated, “I’m concerned if we don’t impeach this president, he will get re-elected.” Republicans later used this comment to challenge the legitimacy of subsequent impeachment proceedings. Some Democrats have suggested that repeated impeachment attempts could devalue the process and potentially alienate moderate voters.
The congressman’s impeachment effort coincides with broader Democratic concerns about Trump’s foreign policy pronouncements. Green’s focus on Trump’s Gaza Strip proposal reflects an ongoing debate in Congress about U.S. involvement in Middle East policy. While some lawmakers consider Trump’s idea a potential solution to regional conflicts, others, like Green, view it as a risky proposition that could heighten tensions and contravene international law.
