Democrats kick off response to Trump's annihilation threats

Valerie Yurk, CQ-Roll Call on Apr 9, 2026

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WASHINGTON — House Democrats began their messaging campaign to hold President Donald Trump accountable for threatening to eliminate the “whole” Iranian civilization with a 10-second floor showdown Thursday.

“The threats of total annihilation were beyond the pale. It’s time for Congress to step in and take control of the wheel,” Rep. Glenn F. Ivey, D-Md., said afterward on the Capitol steps.

While the House and Senate remain in recess until next week, Democrats used a short floor meeting known as a “pro forma” session to try to call up a resolution to curb U.S. military operations in Iran. Ivey shouted from the back of the chamber in an effort to get the member presiding, Rep. Christopher H. Smith, R-N.J., to allow him to speak.

At the same time, Smith quickly yelled the words to adjourn the session and gaveled down without acknowledging him. “Mr. Speaker, we need to vote on this,” Ivey pleaded. The exchange lasted a handful of seconds, and the entire pro forma session lasted 3 minutes.

“The Constitution is very clear that the power to declare war rests with the Congress of the United States,” said Rep. Donald S. Beyer of Virginia, one of several Democrats who gathered for a post-session news conference. “That’s what we tried to do this morning. The pro forma speaker ignored us.”

The episode Thursday was mostly about messaging; Democrats weren’t expecting their unanimous consent attempt to succeed. And the House rejected a similar war powers concurrent resolution last month that would have directed Trump to terminate unapproved hostilities. Even if it were adopted in both chambers, the Supreme Court in 1983 ruled that a “legislative veto” on executive branch actions, undertaken without the president’s signature, is unconstitutional.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., was not in Washington for the pro forma session. He instead attended the National Action Network Convention, a civil rights meeting, in New York City.

Jeffries has called on Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to bring the chamber back from recess early to vote on the resolution in an effort to get lawmakers to take a position on the issue. Although Trump backed off his threat and announced a temporary ceasefire Tuesday night, many Democrats have latched on to calling for Trump’s impeachment and removal from office.

Others have urged Democrats to stay focused on the coming midterm elections. Going hard on impeachment while in the minority would not be the “best use of our time,” according to Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa.

“Let us get into the majority, let us get a Senate majority, and then hold this president to account,” she said at Thursday’s news conference.

Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., have yet to publicly call for invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump or for impeaching him. A Democrat familiar with negotiations said leaders are still discussing their options.

Schumer announced he would bring an Iran war powers resolution to the floor when the Senate returns next week. Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., who also attended the pro forma session on Thursday, said Democrats would bring the war powers resolution to a vote next week, too.

House Democrats will meet virtually tomorrow to hear from House Judiciary ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a former constitutional law professor who also served as lead impeachment manager in 2021, about Trump administration accountability and the 25th Amendment.

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have largely stayed silent.

Only a few GOP members including Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas, as well as Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin have criticized Trump’s annihilation threats.

Johnson and Republican leadership were also not in D.C. for Thursday’s session, and they have yet to make any official statements after Trump’s posts earlier this week.

“Our Republican colleagues saw the exact same issue that we saw … Our Republican colleagues know — they know that threatening genocide is not acceptable,” Jacobs said after the session. “I urge them to come back. And all options should be on the table.”

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—Jackie Wang contributed to this report.