U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Monday night that President Donald Trump has “absolutely” committed impeachable offenses, arguing that the president has already crossed a clear constitutional line.
“Personally, I think the criminality is quite clear to me individually,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters. “The hard part of impeachment is what in the litany of illegal actions [that have] been taken do you actually draft articles on?”
Her comments reflect mounting pressure from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party to more directly confront Trump’s conduct, even as party leadership weighs the political risks of pursuing impeachment.
Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks come amid renewed scrutiny of the administration’s use of executive power and accusations that it violated congressional spending mandates — a core issue tied to the Constitution’s separation of powers.
Asked directly whether she believes Trump has committed impeachable offenses, she did not hesitate. “Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt,” she said.
She pointed specifically to the president’s handling of federal funds. “Starting from the very beginning, with the seizure of funds that are mandated to go out. I think that line has been crossed,” Ocasio-Cortez said, adding that the remaining hurdle is political, not legal. “The question is about the rest of the country.”
Under the Constitution, impeachment does not require a criminal conviction. Instead, it hinges on “high crimes and misdemeanors,” a deliberately broad standard left to Congress to interpret. Ocasio-Cortez stressed that accountability must remain central to democratic governance, while also noting that impeachment is not the sole focus of her work in Congress.
“I personally have never run to represent my district on the grounds of impeachment or not,” she said.
She emphasized that her constituents are focused on economic and social issues, including wages, labor rights, and health care. “My community wants to hear about raising the minimum wage, expanding unions, strengthening health care,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “That doesn’t mean we shy away from what needs to be done in terms of having accountability.”
Her stance echoes comments from other Democrats who have argued in recent weeks that impeachment should be considered if presidential power is abused.
Republicans, meanwhile, have dismissed claims that Trump’s actions rise to the level of impeachable conduct, framing them as partisan attacks. Trump himself has leaned into that argument, warning supporters last week that he could face impeachment if Republicans lose control of Congress after the 2026 midterm elections.
“But you gotta win the midterms,” Trump said. “Because if we don’t win the midterms, it’s just going to be, I mean, they’ll find a reason to impeach me.”
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy offered a far harsher assessment, saying on Meet the Press that Trump’s second term has far surpassed his first in alleged misconduct. “This president has committed 10 times more impeachable offenses in his second term than in his first,” Murphy said. “He’s stealing from the American people. Taking a luxury jet from Qatar. Trading national security access for billions in crypto investments. The corruption is nuclear-grade.”
Conservative lawyer-turned-Democratic candidate George Conway, announcing a run for Congress, also called for impeachment, arguing that accountability and new legislation are necessary to prevent future abuses of power.
Despite the rhetoric, there is currently no formal impeachment push underway in the House, and Democratic leadership has not indicated a shift in strategy. Any effort would require articles of impeachment to pass the House, followed by a Senate trial requiring a two-thirds vote for conviction.
