Republicans move to impeach judges who blocked Trump [View all]

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Source: Axios

11 hours ago


House Republicans are planning to introduce long-shot articles of impeachment against at least two of the federal judges who have blocked President Trump's efforts to upend the federal government.

Why it matters: The measures are part of a growing public conflict between Republicans and the federal judiciary as Trump bristles at obstacles to his "government efficiency" agenda.

Trump further raised the temperature this week by saying at an Oval Office news briefing with DOGE head Elon Musk: "Maybe we have to look at the judges because I think that's a very serious violation."

Vice President J.D. Vance has also suggested that federal judges have been overstepping their authority and "aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power."

Driving the news: Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) is working on articles of impeachment against U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr., who ordered the administration to lift its federal spending freeze, Clyde's office confirmed to Axios.

In a post on X this week, Clyde called McConnell a "partisan activist weaponizing our judicial system to stop President Trump's funding freeze on woke and wasteful government spending."

Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) has said he plans to introduce articles of impeachment against District Court Judge Paul Engelmayer, who blocked DOGE from accessing Treasury records, on similar grounds.

The Rhode Island and New York Southern District Courts — McConnell's and Engelmayer's venues, respectively — did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Between the lines: Clyde and Crane would need majorities in the House to impeach the two judges and and two-thirds majorities in the Senate to convict them. There are only 53 Senate Republicans.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2025/02/16/impeachment-judges-republicans-trump