List of Democrats Who Voted To Stop Trump Impeachment Effort - Newsweek

A long-shot bid to impeach President Donald Trump by Democratic Representative Al Green of Texas was blocked by the House on Tuesday after 18 Democrats joined 213 Republicans to reject it.

Another 46 Democrats—including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar of California—voted present.

A large majority of House Democrats had voted to advance the resolution, but House Democratic leaders refused to endorse it.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar wrote: "Impeachment is a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law and violating the public trust. The effort traditionally requires a comprehensive investigative process."

None of "that serious work has been done," the three Democratic leaders argued, announcing they would vote "present" on the impeachment motion.

Green filed articles of impeachment against Trump in late August, accusing the president of abusing his powers by launching an immigration crackdown that led to the "terrorizing" of communities across the country and turned American democracy "into an authoritarian regime, where unjustified killings and coverups by ICE and CBP are normalized."

Newsweek contacted Green for comment by email on Wednesday outside normal office hours.

The outcome stood in stark contrast to an impeachment effort Green spearheaded in June 2025, when 128 House Democrats joined 216 Republicans to table the measure.

The shift may reflect Democrats' midterm calculations. With Trump's approval ratings under pressure and voters continuing to cite higher inflation as a top concern, many in the party appear keen to keep the focus on issues they believe can help fuel a "blue wave" in November.

In their joint statement, Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar focused on the Trump administration's failure to keep its promise of lowering the cost of living for Americans, highlighting their intention to restore affordability for voters.

"We will again vote 'present' on the motion to table the impeachment resolution as we continue our fight to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, while committing to holding the crooks accountable using every tool available to us beginning on day one," they wrote.

Only one House Republican, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, joined Democrats in voting "present." On Tuesday, Massie introduced a separate impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war in Iran.

Green, who has initiated several efforts to impeach Trump, introduced H.Res. 1486 on August 24. The Texas Democrat has served in the House since 2005 but will not return to Congress next year after losing his primary in May.

H.Res. 1486 argues that Trump violated his constitutional oath of office by failing to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States" by allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to operate without accountability.

The resolution says the agencies have operated with anonymity and secrecy, terrorized communities, and committed unjustified killings that were subsequently covered up.

The article of impeachment specifically cites the deaths of Renée Good, Alex Pretti, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, alleging that ICE and CBP's actions contributed to their deaths and that the administration failed to ensure accountability.

Representative Valerie Foushee of North Carolina was among the 147 Democrats who voted for Green's resolution to move forward. "Trump has defied court orders, started an illegal and disastrous war, has sent ICE into our communities, and so much more. He is a threat to democracy and must be removed immediately," she wrote on X on Tuesday.

In a series of social media posts, Representative Jennifer McClellan of Virginia explained why she voted "present," writing that though "the actions of the Trump Administration require serious scrutiny and attention" and she stands strongly against the president's anti-immigration crackdown, "Congress has not established the record necessary to support Articles of Impeachment or a conviction in a Senate impeachment trial."

Echoing Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar, she said the necessary investigation and work to impeach Trump had not been done, "and I do not trust the current Republican majority to conduct the kind of investigation necessary to impeach President Trump or conduct an impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate."

Similarly, Representative Derek Tran of California said he voted "present" to avoid Republicans turning the impeachment resolution against Democrats as the midterms approach.

"It is clear that President Trump must be held accountable for his abuse of power and failure to put American families first, but initiating this impeachment now will allow Republicans, who control the House, Senate, and White House, to make a mockery of the process," he wrote on X.

"The American people deserve clarity and stability from Washington, not more pointless political games," Tran added.

Republican Representative Russell Fry of South Carolina described the impeachment resolution as a "Democrat stunt." On social media, Fry took credit for making the motion "to BLOCK this sham impeachment attempt" and called the measure's failure "another win for the American people."

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Shakeema Edwards.