In what’s already being mocked as the most amateur-hour impeachment stunt in recent memory, Rep. Shri Thanedar’s attempt to launch a fresh wave of articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump has imploded on the launchpad — with even his fellow Democrats scrambling for the exits.
Thanedar, a first-term Congressman from Michigan best known to most Americans as “Who?”, dropped a multi-article impeachment resolution that landed with all the grace of a lead balloon. His accusations — seven in total, ranging from “tyranny” to “violation of First Amendment rights” — weren’t what drew attention. It was the utter lack of strategy, coordination, or credibility that made the move the latest punchline in Capitol Hill’s circus of misfires.
From the moment the resolution surfaced, observers across the aisle were asking the same question: Who greenlit this? Because as it turns out, no one did.
Thanedar reportedly told co-sponsors the resolution had been vetted by Democratic leadership. It hadn’t. The fallout was immediate. Within 24 hours, three House Democrats — Jerry Nadler (NY), Kweisi Mfume (MD), and Robin Kelly (IL) — publicly removed their names from the resolution. According to their spokespeople, they had assumed the measure had been reviewed by leadership and legally vetted. Once they discovered it was neither, they fled like passengers off a sinking ship.
JUST IN: House Democrats are now FURIOUS with Rep. Shri Thanedar’s impeachment articles against Trump – they say he MISLEAD them that leadership supported it, per Axios.
Thanedar not only gave the impression leadership backed him, but even signed “at least one colleague” onto… pic.twitter.com/AEWRg9RuyG
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 1, 2025
The political damage wasn’t limited to embarrassment. Axios reported that Thanedar’s move sparked an “internal furor” among Democrats, who fear that another baseless impeachment attempt — without the votes, the coordination, or even a coherent message — could backfire spectacularly. The party is still managing internal tensions and bruises from the last Trump term, and many want to avoid reliving those procedural landmines unless absolutely necessary.
It’s not just a misfire — it’s a dangerous distraction.
As for Thanedar himself, the backstory raises even more questions. Allegations surrounding shady business practices, reports of animal abuse during pharmaceutical trials, and now this rogue impeachment stunt have turned the Michigan freshman into a full-blown liability. He’s already facing two primary challengers, who have labeled him “an Indian Elon Musk” — likely not a compliment in the current political climate — and “out of touch” with his district.
With whispers that this impeachment push was more about saving his seat than saving democracy, Thanedar’s move looks less like principled opposition and more like a desperate headline grab from a vulnerable incumbent.
For Democrats, this episode is a warning sign. The desire to hold Trump accountable may run deep in the caucus, but going off-script with performative impeachment filings only gives Trump more ammunition. He’s already using this to paint Democrats as unhinged and obsessed, and every unserious move strengthens that narrative.
And for Trump? Thanedar just handed him another soundbite for Truth Social — more evidence, in his telling, of a “radical” opposition losing its grip. It reinforces Trump’s message that he’s the one being targeted by political operatives, not criminals, and may even help him consolidate support in his base.
