HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENT ON DONALD TRUMP'S THREAT TO KILL A WHOLE CIVILIZATION

[Just_Vote_Dem]

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu, Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse and DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene released the following statement:

Donald Trump is completely unhinged. His statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response. The House must come back into session immediately and vote to end this reckless war of choice in the Middle East before Donald Trump plunges our country into World War III.

For years, Republicans have enabled and excused Donald Trump’s deeply dangerous and extreme behavior. Enough is enough. Our brave men and women in uniform have been put into harm’s way in the Middle East. Over a dozen have already been killed and hundreds injured. Gas prices are skyrocketing, the cost of living in America is out of control and billions of taxpayer dollars are being wasted on a reckless war of choice.

It’s time for House Republicans to put patriotic duty over party loyalty and join Democrats in stopping this madness.

https://jeffries.house.gov/2026/04/07/house-democratic-leadership-statement-on-donald-trumps-threat-to-kill-a-whole-civilization/

[ScratchCat]

1. Finally

But they are just asking for Republicans to "vote" to end the "war" which was never declared in the first place

Nothing about removing him because he is nuts.

[Walleye]

6. It's aggravating because they know he's nuts

And they know we know that they know. Damn.

[Farmer-Rick]

23. That's not what I get out of it

They end with stop the madness. The madness is pedo Trump himself. But putting an end to the pedo's undeclared war is a start.

[wnylib]

33. War Powers Act gives Congress the authority to end an undeclared war.

[ShazzieB]

36. One step at a time.

Last edited Tue Apr 7, 2026, 05:51 PM - Edit history (1)

Congress can vote to end the war very quickly if the will is there, and it just may be. The spectre of WWIII is very real right now, even to many Republicans. Democrats in both Houses have probably been talking to their colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and they may have good reason to believe they can get enough GOP votes to end this war before Schlump commits any more war crimes, or, worse, uses a nuke.

Impeachment, otoh, is a very long, drawn out process that can much too easily result in the Senate declining to remove him from office, like the other TWO times! There's no time for that right now. Stopping this war before it's too late requires much more expedient measures than waiting for the process of an impeachment to unwind.

Impeachment does need to happen, no question, but this isn't the right time to try to initiate that. I think the Democrats are doing exactly what needs to be done at this point in time.

[mcar]

2. Wait, you mean our Democratic leadership is speaking out?

There are 3-4 OPs here today claiming just the opposite. I bet they'll now switch to "talk is cheap" or the silly "strongly worded letter" meme.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

4. I wish you weren't right but you probably are n/t

[mcar]

5. Me too

[Bread and Circuses]

8. Me too.

Letter writing and appealing to republicans got us to this disaster.

[mcar]

11. No. Refusing to support/vote for both HRC and Harris got us to this disaster

BTW, where are the protestors? I haven't seen any of the pro-Palestine/anti-genocide protestors in front of the WH or Congress. Did they only care about genocide while a woman was running for president?

[LisaM]

12. That was staged. I knew it was staged.

I am not sure what the end game was but I don't think anyone wanted peace in Gaza more than Biden.

[mcar]

26. IMO, the end game was getting Trump back in the WH

[MorbidButterflyTat]

38. It absolutely was

[KPN]

65. Oh brother.

[LymphocyteLover]

32. disgusting how those protestors were so blatantly anti-Dem and have now disappeared

Whole thing was a rigged psyop IMO

[Aepps22]

48. Still Harassing Kamala

Still harassing Kamala everywhere she goes

[Orrex]

52. I was taking shit online from anti-Harris "pro-Palestine" posters right up until the election

Within hours, they'd all fallen silent.

They went from shrieking that I'm a genocidal anti-semite to crickets.

[JI7]

55. No, they still protest Harris so they haven't totally gone silent

[Orrex]

57. Well, they were assholes then, and they remain assholes now.

I believe you, but in the groups that I follow on social media, their attacks went silent almost instantly following Trump's "win," since they'd achieved their objective.

[sheshe2]

16. You are correct.

[Ilikepurple]

18. I think the OP's to which you refer were prior to the release of this statement.

Don’t pretend you’re not switching now yourself. Either this statement has a potential impact or it’s superfluous. I believe it’s a voice we need to hear. If we’re so worried about consistency, are you much chagrined by the Democratic leadership wasting their time when they don’t have the votes to do anything meaningful? That’s the “silly” talk I hear from those on the other side of this issue. Is being critical of Democratic leadership, regardless of their actions, the main issue here? Or is the real target those within the party that you see as undermining the institution or should I say progressives? The latter is part of what I see as an important debate to keep alive, but it seems here the target is the people speaking out rather than their ideas.
We shouldn’t just rubber stamp the actions of our leadership. I’m sure our representative democracy was designed to have a feedback loop where citizens continue to voice their concerns after elections happen. Some of these citizens will think their leadership has gone too far, some not enough, and some think they’ve done just fine, but what’s important is that all of our voices are heard. Bring heard, there can be some debate amongst the ourselves and our representatives who the. can respond following the dictates of their conscience, experience, and minds. We rely on their expert and they rely on us speaking our minds or how can they represent? We don’t have to be right to be an important part of providing solutions I know in the post internet world where we can all do our own research it’s easy to presume we’ve become experts, but in general expertise comes not just from digestion of accepted facts or opinions of designated experts, but by engaging our interpretation of those propositions and ideas with the world or at least other experts and novices.

[mcar]

28. What are you talking about?

[Ilikepurple]

49. The OP's of which you complain were not written before this statement and

Your reply was to directed towards the rationality of the people complaining rather than the rationale of the complaint. The situational backtracking you point out is relevant only as far as to the one adopting the apparently contradictory positions and as far as you are not engaging in them yourself. I have a hard time believing you don’t know what I’m talking about as you seem to be involved in most of the “Dem bashing” debates and should know the points the sides are most likely to rely upon. I was also speaking in general about the attempts to shut down criticism of our leadership by characterizing any criticism as “nonsense” or “silly” or by pointing out possible hypocrisies. The whole idea seems to be if you can discredit the person’s rational abilities or manufacture a secret agenda, then you have successfully rebutted their claims. These are effective strategies of argumentation if you are arguing against a person rather than the idea. I think argumentation best serves us when it either guides us closer to the truth or to a solution.
But I guess why engage the marketplace of ideas when one it’s easier to dismiss recalcitrant ideas as being the product of infantile, malicious, disillusioned, or, in my case, unintelligible thinkers.

[mcar]

54. Paragraphs are your friend. Just saying.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

42. AI much?

[Ilikepurple]

46. I wouldn't even know how to start using AI other than what appears on the top of a google search.

I’m pretty decent with Boolean searches, so maybe that skill would help me create an AI prompts where I could respond to a specific reply. I don’t think I will though. Is this a new form of informal fallacy with which we’ll have to contend in the future. I’m really not sure what made you think my post was created with AI, but it’s hardly a rebuttal to accuse me of that. It’s a further attack on a person rather than an idea. I would not depend on AI, but for all its faults, its results are not necessarily wrong. I hate the idea that the emergence of AI will make every analytical yet perhaps clumsily written statement suspect. Like you, I often wonder if certain replies have been either created or honed by AI, but I’m mostly interested in the value of the ideas therein. You’re obviously interested in shutting down Dem bashing, which I’m not even doing. I’m not sure this is your best work.

[QueerDuck]

34. Give it time... it's won't be long for the "not enough" chorus to warm up.

[NBachers]

43. Or "This is what they should REALLY Do!"

[betsuni]

67. You know Democrats are doing something when there's a rush of angry alarums that they're not doing something.

A sure bet.

[Walleye]

3. It's time for a Republicans to get in touch with their humanity, if they have any left

[malaise]

21. They don't think non- whites are human

until they need blood or an organ.
That is all

[Bread and Circuses]

7. Nice letter, pals

This is NOT bashing DEMS , I still vote, donate , volunteer, wrote letters and canvas.
I strongly support DEMS.
BUT they play by the old rules.

Take over the House Chamber and don’t leave !!!
If you’re afraid of being arrested, resign.

Appealing to republicans is a fool’s errand . They’re afraid of the Mobster and Madman in the White House.

That’s what was done during the Vietnam as students occupied buildings and demanded common sense and honesty.

We need strong, compassionate and BRAVE DEMS.

[onenote]

20. How exactly will "taking over" the House chamber do anything?

And do you recall how long people protested against the Vietnam War before Congress finally voted to end funding it?

[Bread and Circuses]

53. Most Republican Voters are unaware or don't care....We need DRAMATIC and BOLD action

BE Peaceful! BE Loud, Brave and persistent.

I guess you never fought against THE POWERFUL, I have .

You have to raise a stink and keep at it. Should have been in the streets the FIRST TIME, US bombed Iran.

It is most likely too late now.


BUT! We need 25 Million on the streets right NOW!

I’m a fighter and I’ve been successful blocking the Flock Cameras , most recently.

[JI7]

56. Republicans are not unaware. If they don't care that's not the fault

of democrats.

[onenote]

59. I guess you don't know squat about me.

I’m 73 years old and I participated in every Vietnam War protest in DC (eg the Mobilization, the Moratorium) I protested at my local draft board both before and after I got my conscientious objector status and I knocked on doors for Gene McCarthy. My dad was on an earl version of Nixon’s enemies list.

So please don’t make assumptions about me and I won’t make them about you.

[lindysalsagal]

9. I just sent it to my maga congresscritter

Thanks

[multigraincracker]

10. Eradicate a Civilization means only one thing.

He is going to use the nuclear option.
I sure hope the military refuses that illegal order.

[LymphocyteLover]

30. OTOH he is doing a good job of destroying American civilization

[angrychair]

13. A sternly worded letter

I'm sure that will save millions of Iranian lives when mango Mussolini creates multiple Chernobyls tonight.

[LymphocyteLover]

31. without Rethugs, they can't do fuck all else

[angrychair]

47. Honestly I hate that excuse

Because nothing is further from the truth.

They are members of Congress, not regular people like us. Refuse to leave the House. Make them call the Capital Police to come arrest you to make you leave the House floor.

File hundreds of tedious bills and force debate on all of them to hold Congress in session.

Every Democratic member of Congress should be holding coordinated news conferences in their districts to force local and national news coverage.

Listen, I'm a nobody, I shouldn't have to suggest to people that have been in Congress since I was a toddler, how to manage as a minority member of Congress. It's ridiculous. There are actions that they can take that are more substantial than a letter of concern.
Literally millions of lives are on the line, I think they can think outside the box on this one.

[LymphocyteLover]

63. your points are well taken but I think there are legitimate reasons Dems don't do those things

They certainly can't do anything to affect Congress right now with Congress in recess.

[spanone]

14. K&R

[flashman13]

15. STOP with this unhinged nonsense. Say it loud and clear. Trump is insane!

[GiqueCee]

19. "Insane"...

... is just the icing on a vast layer cake of pure, malignant evil that has been the totality of his character for his entire rotten life. Mix the two and you have a recipe for worldwide disaster. There is one sure way to stop him. Lock his ass up in a facility for the criminally insane and take a sledgehammer to his phone.

[cer7711]

17. FINALLY! Dems roar and call for Congress to come back into session.

Gee, it only took the eve of WWIII for them to find their voice and issue a ringing call to action.

Better late than never.

Thank you, Dems.

[Initech]

22. Impeach and arrest him already!

[LilElf70]

24. Now would be just fine.

[bigtree]

25. kick

[LetMyPeopleVote]

27. Statements from the House and Senate Democrats on trump's threats

After Trump wrote, in reference to Iran, “A whole civilization will die tonight,” the entirety of the House Democratic leadership issued this joint statement:

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-04-07T17:01:15.516Z

As it turns out, it's not just House Dems: Leading Senate Democrats also issued a joint statement responding to Trump's stated plans to destroy "a whole civilization" tonight:

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-04-07T18:41:16.159Z

[VGuerra276]

29. I'll take it.

I'll take it.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

35. I am still outraged that the lot of them left DC for spring break vacation during

this most disturbing time in history.

[BeneteauBum]

37. Yes

Peace ☮️

[mountain grammy]

39. How about emphasis on he's murdering innocent civilians

and threatening genocide... I get that it's all about US and gas prices, but thousands of humans are dead or injured due to his madness..

[MerryBlooms]

40. I am thinking, Ivanka is the only one who might have his damaged ear.

[FakeNoose]

50. Ivanka is nowhere to be seen ... completely AWOL

Come to think of it, all the Trump kiddies have been strangely silent since their father got re-elected.
(Other than Jared K. who's pursuing his own $ billions.) It's completely the opposite of the first term.

[MerryBlooms]

60. Not much publicly, there have been appearances

Much daddy official support. Blegh

[Bluetus]

41. This is progress, but not nearly enough. The leadership needs to be in lockstap with Ted Lieu

They need to be absolutely clear that Trump is already committing war crimes. And anyone who follows these orders will be prosecuted when Trump is gone. Trump will fire anybody who defies him, but Dems should commit 100% publicly to restoring the rank and pension of any soldier who refuses to commit a war crime.

[OMGWTF]

44. My husband and I were out for our daily walk and stopped to chat with a neighbor in our trailer park.

I knew he called himself a big time "Christian" but in two minutes he was revealed to be an angry, ill-informed, hater, pedo protector, and fascist. I'm never sitting next to him at our potlucks and I left wanting to punch that fker in the face. Ignorant jerkhole! He talked about moving to Idaho, and I should have suggested Haden Lake might be a good fit for him.

I AM REALLY FKING TIRED OF BEING LOCKED IN A ROOM WITH THE SLOW LEARNERS!!

[MW67]

62. Slow Learner's

Is a very generous compliment, dense "full of it " idiot is a much more fair and accurate description . Let's hope lots more people are finally fed up with living in disturbed idiot world and do something about it, soon

[leftstreet]

45. DURec

[Orrex]

51. Republicans won't hear this because their heads are too far up Trump's festering ass

[BidenRocks]

58. Congress needs to meet military veterans!

You met some on Jan. 6. You cowered in fear and ran like scared children.

Don't make us come to DC and show you how to stop an insane asshole and restore our Democracy!

Do you really think our military will engage Americans who are all armed?

We all took an oath and if our military ignores theirs, this country is gone but I will die fighting for it!

DEEDS NOT WORDS!

This is why we enlisted!

[dave99]

61. one piece going twice the speed of sound pointed in correct direction

[vapor2]

64. There is a need to go after Hegseth as well for war crimes (Venezuela)

[0rganism]

66. Hell, it's about time