Democrat lawmakers acknowledge that any attempt to impeach President Donald Trump this year will fail.
Even some Democrats who have pushed for impeachment concede the political reality: Without control of at least one chamber of Congress, the effort is effectively dead on arrival.
As reported by Axios, party leaders and rank-and-file members are grappling with pressure from an energized liberal base demanding aggressive action against Trump, while recognizing the math simply isn't there to remove him from office.
"People are pissed and know we have to fight," one senior House Democrat told Axios, reflecting the frustration within the party.
But with Republicans controlling both the House and Senate, and a two-thirds Senate vote required for conviction, Democrats face steep odds.
That hasn't stopped some lawmakers from trying.
Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., recently introduced 13 articles of impeachment against Trump, citing policies ranging from Iran to immigration.
However, even Larson admitted there is little appetite within his own party to move forward quickly, according to Time.
The effort is widely seen as symbolic, with no realistic path to success.
Republicans and the White House have dismissed the push outright.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle criticized the move as "pathetic," telling USA Today that Democrats have been fixated on impeachment since before Trump returned to office.
Inside the Democratic Party, divisions are becoming more apparent, with some lawmakers arguing that repeated impeachment attempts risk looking like political theater rather than serious governance.
Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., warned that a failed vote could backfire, saying it would be "worse than no impeachment at all," Axios reported.
Others are urging a shift in focus. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., a former impeachment manager, said impeachment is "not the fight right now," emphasizing instead issues like the economy and foreign policy.
Similarly, party leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have avoided endorsing a new impeachment push, signaling a more cautious approach.
According to Time, Democrat leadership is increasingly concerned that focusing on impeachment could distract from its broader strategy heading into the midterm elections, particularly messaging on inflation and affordability.
Behind closed doors, some strategists worry that another failed impeachment effort could energize Trump's supporters and undermine Democrat credibility.
Meanwhile, calls to invoke the 25th Amendment have also surfaced following Trump's recent rhetoric on Iran, but that path faces even higher hurdles, requiring action from the vice president and the Cabinet.
For now, Democrats appear stuck between appeasing their base and confronting political reality. As one lawmaker put it, enthusiasm alone cannot overcome the numbers in Congress.
Absent a major shift in power, a third impeachment effort against Trump is unlikely to go anywhere — leaving Democrats to weigh whether continued calls for removal are a winning strategy or simply more political noise.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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