Donald Trump to be impeached? Democrats call for his impeachment after Nicolas Maduro capture

Democrats are openly talking about impeaching President Donald Trump after the U.S. carried out strikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The military action happened over the weekend and included strikes in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital.

President Trump announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured after a “large scale strike”, as reported by Newsweek. The Trump administration says Maduro and his wife face charges related to narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. Maduro and Flores have been formally indicted in the Southern District of New York, according to U.S. officials.

Maduro charges and past cases

Maduro was first indicted in March 2020 on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. In August 2025, the U.S. increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million. Maduro has denied all wrongdoing in the past. The military action was not approved by Congress before it happened, which is the main reason for Democratic anger, as stated by news reports.


Progressive Democrats say Trump broke the Constitution by acting without Congress. Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois strongly criticized the action in a post on X. Ramirez wrote, "Many Americans woke up to a sick sense of déjà vu. Under the guise of liberty, an administration of warmongers has lied to justify an invasion and is dragging us into an illegal, endless war so they can extract resources and expand their wealth", as cited by Fox News.

Calls for impeachment grow

Ramirez also said Congress must act and Trump should be impeached. She wrote, "We must pass Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s War Powers Resolution that asserts Congress' authorities, and Trump must be impeached." Ramirez repeated similar views in another statement, calling the strikes “illegal” and “dangerous”, as stated by Newsweek. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota introduced a War Powers Resolution to block Trump from taking military action in Venezuela.

The resolution is meant to reassert Congress’ control over war decisions. Rep. Dan Goldman of New York also criticized Trump for bypassing Congress. Goldman called the Venezuela action a “war” launched without approval. Goldman said lawmakers were not given “any satisfactory explanation.” Goldman stated, "This violation of the United States Constitution is an impeachable offense." He urged Republicans to join Democrats in holding Trump accountable.

More democrats speak out

Rep. April McClain Delaney of Maryland also raised impeachment concerns. She posted on X that invading another country without a declaration of war is impeachable. She wrote, "Let’s be clear, invading and running another country without a congressional declaration of war is an impeachable offense", as stated by Fox News. She added that Democrats need to debate whether impeachment is the right strategy. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California did not rule out supporting impeachment.

Swalwell made the comments at a press conference in California. Progressive candidates running for Congress are also calling for impeachment. Kat Abughazaleh, running for a House seat in Illinois, posted a strong statement online. She wrote, "I demand that Congress exercise its power, halt this conflict, and impeach this war criminal president." Abughazaleh later said Trump “needs to be impeached, convicted, and removed.”

State Senator Scott Wiener of California also demanded impeachment. Wiener said Trump has “no legal authority to invade Venezuela”, as stated by Newsweek. Rep. Maxine Waters of California said Democrats are reconsidering impeachment. Waters said many Democrats are questioning if impeachment is possible again. Republicans and Democrats are deeply divided over the Venezuela action.

Many Republicans praised Trump and supported the capture of Maduro. Republicans say the operation removed a dictator and made the U.S. safer. GOP leaders argue the action was a law-enforcement move, not a war. Republicans say Congress did not need advance notice. Rep. Mike Lawler of New York defended Trump on X. Lawler wrote that capturing Maduro “changed the course of history.” Lawler called Maduro a “narco terrorist” responsible for American deaths.

What happens next

Democrats argue the action violates U.S. and international law. Legal experts say there may be a legal basis for impeachment. Law professor Brian Kalt said any violation of constitutional limits could be impeachable. However, Kalt said impeachment is unlikely to succeed. He said Republicans control the House, making impeachment difficult. Kalt said there is “zero chance” the Senate would convict Trump. Political polarization makes impeachment easier but conviction harder, Kalt said, as cited by Newsweek.

Columbia professor Robert Y. Shapiro said impeachment would be an uphill battle. Shapiro warned it could make Democrats look weak. He said Trump would likely claim he is a victim. Commentator Kyle Kulinski criticized the lack of immediate impeachment action. Kulinski warned Trump may feel free to act without consequences.

Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland accused Trump of targeting Venezuela’s oil. Van Hollen said Trump’s actions benefit oil companies and billionaires. The White House has been contacted for comment by both Fox News and Newsweek. As of now, no articles of impeachment have been formally filed. It is unclear if any lawmaker will officially start impeachment proceedings. Betting odds show only a 13% chance of impeachment in 2026.

Odds rise to about 50% by January 1, 2028, according to Kalshi. Trump was impeached twice during his first term, but not convicted. Democrats have so far been cautious about impeachment in his second term. Whether more Democrats join the call could affect upcoming midterm elections. For now, impeachment talk is loud, but action remains uncertain.

FAQs

Q1. Why are Democrats talking about impeaching Donald Trump now?

Democrats say Trump ordered military action in Venezuela without Congress approval, which they claim breaks the Constitution.

Q2. Has Donald Trump been officially impeached over Venezuela?

No, no impeachment articles have been filed yet and the talks are still political debate.