In a brewing internal conflict within the Republican Party, House GOP leaders are expressing private reservations about a growing push from conservative hardliners to impeach federal judges who have issued rulings against President Donald Trump’s ambitious policy agenda. This tension, unfolding as of March 21, 2025, highlights a broader struggle over strategy and priorities as the party navigates its slim majority and the demands of its base.
The movement to target the judiciary stems from frustration over recent court decisions that have stalled key elements of Trump’s plans, including executive orders aimed at slashing federal programs and deporting suspected gang members. High-profile allies, including Elon Musk and members of the House Freedom Caucus, have vocally supported impeachment as a means to counter what they describe as “activist” judges overstepping their authority. Representative Brandon Gill (R-Texas), for instance, has introduced a resolution to impeach U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg, who blocked Trump’s deportation efforts under the Alien Enemies Act, accusing him of “abuse of power.”
Publicly, GOP leadership has kept the door open to such actions. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has suggested that “all options are on the table,” while Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has emphasized the need to address judges with “political agendas.” However, behind closed doors, senior aides and sources familiar with leadership discussions reveal a starkly different sentiment: skepticism about the feasibility and wisdom of pursuing judicial impeachments.
One senior House GOP aide told Fox News Digital that the effort faces significant hurdles, noting, “I don’t think we know if we have the votes, and it’s another intense whipping process for something that won’t move at all in the Senate.” With Republicans holding a narrow two-seat majority in the House and only 53 senators, any impeachment effort would require near-unanimous party support—and Democratic votes in the Senate, an unlikely prospect—to reach the two-thirds threshold needed for removal. A second aide was even more blunt: “It’s likelier that President Trump will acquire Canada as our 51st state than the U.S. House of Representatives impeaching federal judges.”
The reluctance isn’t just about logistics. Leadership fears that a messy, doomed impeachment push could squander political capital at a critical time when Trump and the GOP are racing to advance a sweeping legislative package on taxes, energy, and border security before the Easter and Passover recess. “It would be such a heavy lift and we’ve got too many heavy lifts coming up,” another top aide remarked, reflecting a sentiment that the party’s focus should remain on achievable wins rather than symbolic battles.
The conservative faction, however, shows no signs of backing down. Bolstered by Trump’s own calls for impeachment—such as his social media outburst demanding Boasberg’s removal—lawmakers like Representatives Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), and Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) have either filed or threatened articles of impeachment against multiple judges. Their argument hinges on a narrative of judicial overreach undermining Trump’s mandate, with figures like Representative Troy Nehls (R-Texas) insisting that Congress must “send a message” even if the efforts fail.
This clash has drawn a rare public rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts, who warned that impeachment is not a tool for settling policy disagreements, a stance that has only further emboldened the GOP’s right flank. Meanwhile, legal experts and judicial advocates have raised alarms about the broader implications, arguing that such threats erode judicial independence and could invite retaliation against judges, some of whom have already faced heightened security risks due to their rulings.
As the debate intensifies, Speaker Johnson finds himself in a precarious position. A former constitutional lawyer, he has so far resisted fully embracing the impeachment push, but Trump’s influence over the party—and Johnson’s reliance on his support to maintain control of a fractious conference—may force concessions. Some speculate that leadership could opt for a middle ground, such as holding hearings or advancing alternative measures like jurisdiction-stripping legislation, to appease the base without committing to a full-scale impeachment fight.
For now, the House GOP stands at a crossroads. The outcome of this internal tug-of-war could shape not only the party’s relationship with the judiciary but also its ability to deliver on Trump’s agenda in a politically charged and narrowly divided Congress. As one aide put it, “The impeachment route isn’t anyone’s favorite on this”—a sentiment that underscores the delicate balance Republican leaders must strike in the weeks ahead.