Democrats in Congress have now filed more than a dozen separate articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump — and for the first time, some members are calling for Vice President JD Vance to be included in those proceedings as well. The charges span some of the most serious constitutional violations a president can be accused of, and the list is still growing.
What the Articles Allege
The impeachment articles filed against Trump in the 119th Congress cover a broad range of conduct. Among the charges: unauthorized war-making in Iran without a declaration of war or authorization from Congress, the militarization of domestic law enforcement against American citizens, deportations that critics say were carried out on the basis of race and political opposition, and incitement of threats against members of Congress.
The most significant cluster came in April 2026, when Rep. John Larson introduced 13 new articles specifically focused on Trump’s escalation of the Iran conflict. The charges argue that by launching and continuing Operation Epic Fury without congressional authorization, Trump committed one of the most serious constitutional violations available — the unilateral decision to take the country to war. The War Powers Act gives the president limited emergency authority to deploy forces, but requires congressional approval within 60 days. Trump’s legal team has argued that ceasefire intervals reset the clock, a position most constitutional scholars describe as a stretch.
Why Nothing Has Come to a Vote
Despite the mounting pile of articles, not a single one has come to a floor vote. Republicans control the House of Representatives, and leadership — led by Speaker Mike Johnson — has refused to allow any impeachment measure to advance to a committee hearing, let alone a full House vote. Democrats argue this refusal is itself a form of institutional failure, saying that by blocking a vote, Republicans are effectively deciding the charges don’t merit a response without ever having to go on the record.
The political calculus is straightforward: a floor vote would force every Republican member to publicly side either with the president or with the constitutional arguments behind the articles. Leadership has calculated that neither outcome serves the party, so the articles sit in committee and go nowhere.
The Push to Include Vance
Perhaps the most unusual development in the impeachment push is the growing discussion around Vice President JD Vance. Some Democratic lawmakers argue that Vance has not been a passive bystander — that his active role in implementing, defending, and publicly promoting the administration’s most controversial policies makes him equally accountable for the conduct being cited in the articles.
The constitutional question of whether a vice president can be separately impeached is one that has rarely been tested in American history. The Constitution gives Congress the power to impeach “civil officers,” and legal scholars generally agree a vice president qualifies. But no sitting vice president has ever been fully impeached, making this largely uncharted legal territory. Democrats pushing the issue acknowledge the difficulty but say the scale of what they’re alleging makes it worth forcing the question.
What This Means for the Country
For ordinary Americans, the impeachment debate has real consequences beyond political theater. If the Iran war continues without formal congressional authorization, the legal basis for U.S. involvement becomes increasingly contested — affecting everything from military funding to the legal protections of service members deployed under the operation. If deportation policies are ultimately found to have violated constitutional protections, the cases of thousands of people removed from the country become legally vulnerable.
The charges aren’t just about holding officials accountable in the abstract. They represent a constitutional argument about who has the authority to make the decisions that shape American life — Congress or the executive branch. That question doesn’t go away when the articles sit in committee. It just goes unanswered.
Stay informed on the stories that matter most. Follow Your Daily Updates on Facebook and bookmark yourdailyupdates.news for breaking news and analysis.