Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) late Thursday called on Congress to impeach President Donald Trump, following a primetime address in which Trump claimed that forces behind the alleged theft of the 2020 presidential election remain active and threaten the integrity of the 2026 midterm elections.
Trump used terms like “rigged and stolen,” “corrupt,” and “cover-up” to describe the electoral system, and invoked recently declassified documents to back his assertions. However, critics from both parties argue he still hasn't provided credible evidence that U.S. elections are marred by widespread fraud.
“Trump must be impeached for undermining and subverting our free and fair elections,” Markey wrote on X. He urged further action, saying, “And when he sends ICE agents to the polls, then we must turn civic action into civil disobedience and take to the streets. Sit in. Protest. Withhold our labor. Everything must be on the table.”
Evidence Under Scrutiny
During his speech, Trump claimed that newly released documents show China acquired 220 million U.S. voter files over five years starting in 2020. Opponents note that voter information is often publicly available or can be purchased from states, undermining the allegation of sinister meddling. The president also alleged that “Deep State” elements have suppressed information about China's purported election interference.
Trump asserted that Beijing wanted him to lose in 2020, citing “raw intelligence” from the FBI that supposedly indicated China attempted to manufacture illegal ballots for Joe Biden. Critics counter that this intelligence remains unverified and unreliable. For a deeper look at the backlash to Trump's speech, see Spicer's analysis of MAGA base discontent. On the international response, Beijing has rejected the claims as fabricated.
History of Impeachment Calls
This is not Markey's first impeachment push. In April, after Trump threatened to “wipe out” Iran's civilization if the Strait of Hormuz wasn't reopened, Markey called for the president's removal, describing Trump as “unstable and a clear and present danger” to both Americans and the world. He urged the House to pass articles of impeachment and the Senate to convict, and also called on the Cabinet and Vice President Vance to invoke the 25th Amendment. For more on the broader Democratic response to Trump's fraud claims, read Democrats' blunt rebuke of the allegations. Meanwhile, Trump's declassification and the ensuing pushback continue to fuel partisan debate.
Markey's latest call for impeachment underscores the deepening rift over election integrity as the 2026 midterms approach.
