WASHINGTON, D.C. — A U.S. congressman has fired the opening shot in what could be another controversial impeachment attempt.
Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green took to the House floor Wednesday, announcing his intent to file Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump, who is barely a month into his third term as President. His reasoning? What Green calls “dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done”—a direct response to Trump’s bombshell declaration that the U.S. should take over the Gaza Strip.
“Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the President of the United States,” Green said.
The move comes after Trump stood next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night and pitched a vision of Gaza that sounded more like a real estate venture than foreign policy.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump said. “We’ll own it, level the site, get rid of the destroyed buildings. We will create economic development that will supply unlimited jobs and housing for the people of the area, do a real job, do something different.”
For those following the disastrous human toll in Gaza, the comments weren’t just controversial—they were a blatant endorsement of forced displacement. In the last four months, Israel’s relentless bombing and military ground operations have killed over 44,000 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with hundreds of thousands displaced.
The ICC Already Made Its Move—Back in November
Trump’s remarks land in a world where the International Criminal Court (ICC) has already called war crimes by name. Back in November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for top figures involved in the war, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and a Hamas official. The charges? War crimes and crimes against humanity.
If Netanyahu sets foot in any of the 124 member nations that recognize the ICC, in theory, he should be arrested on sight.
But here’s the catch—the ICC has no police force. Enforcement relies on those 124 nations, many of which have historically turned a blind eye when it comes to high-profile figures facing war crimes charges.
Meanwhile, Green’s impeachment bid is likely dead on arrival in a House controlled by pro-Trump Republicans. But that’s not really the point. Green, a longtime progressive, is throwing down a moral gauntlet, making it clear that at least some lawmakers see Trump’s Gaza vision as more than just reckless rhetoric—it’s criminal.
As the war rages on, the stakes in Washington are getting higher by the day.