Oregon Democrats urge Trump’s removal over Iran ‘civilization’ threat

Some Oregon Democrats are calling for the removal of President Donald Trump from office after he made explicit threats against Iran and its infrastructure, including warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if the government does not open the Strait of Hormuz on April 7.

Trump’s statements have sparked nationwide backlash among political leaders and fueled warnings about potential war crimes and the risk of escalating international conflict.

Many Oregon Democrats elected to national office are urging Republican representatives to intervene and rein in the president, while others are calling to invoke the 25th Amendment, which allows the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to remove a president from power if they determine the president is unable to discharge the duties of the office.

Cliff Bentz, the lone Republican representing Oregon in Washington, D.C., has not weighed in on the president’s statements. His office did not respond to a request for comment.

Here’s how Oregon’s elected representatives reacted to Trump’s claims:

Sen. Ron Wyden

“Donald Trump is deranged. He must be impeached and removed from office,” Sen. Ron Wyden said in a statement posted to social media on April 7. “Republicans who don’t stop him will have blood on their hands, and anyone who carries out an order to bomb civilian targets will be complicit in war crimes and will be held accountable.

Sen. Jeff Merkley

“Trump’s threat to bomb Iran ‘back to the stone age’ and that ‘a whole civilization will die tonight’ is 1000% out of sync with every moral code,” Sen. Jeff Merkley said in a statement posted to social media. “To the Republican leaders: call Congress back into session NOW to stop Trump’s plan to slaughter civilians.”

Rep. Andrea Salinas, 6th Congressional District

“There are no words I can put into a social media post to properly condemn how evil and deranged this is.” Rep. Andrea Salinas said in a statement posted to social media. “Trump is threatening that ‘a whole civilization will die tonight.’ That’s a war crime. Full stop.”

“ALL Members of Congress, including Republicans who control all chambers must do more than condemn this language,” Salinas said. “They need to put America first and stop this war. Trump is not fit to command our military, and he certainly shouldn’t be trusted with the nuclear codes. He is not fit to be the leader of the free world, and he must be removed.”

Salinas represents Yamhill and Polk counties and parts of Marion County.

Rep. Janelle Bynum, 5th Congressional District

“We are in a crisis of leadership,” Rep. Janelle Bynum said in a statement posted to social media. “We have a president who has no restraint and no one around him to pull him back from the brink of consequential decisions affecting the entire world.”

“Under ordinary times, there would be advisors and military leadership to temper the most extreme emotions of a president,” Bynum said. “Now, we have sycophants and flunkies who rubber-stamp this man’s every whim. My Republican colleagues and the Supreme Court have given him a blank check, cashed on the backs of the American people. Enough is enough.”

Bynum represents Linn County and wide swathes of Marion County.

Rep. Val Hoyle, 4th Congressional District

“The President is too unstable to serve,” Rep. Val Hoyle said in a statement posted to social media. “The 25th Amendment needs to be invoked to stop the President from doing further damage to the safety and security of the US and the world. We should be called back to DC now to vote on the War Power’s Resolution to stop the war.”

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, 1st Congressional District

“The President’s recent statements are terrifying and extremely dangerous,” Rep. Suzanne Bonamici said in a statement posted to social media. “It is unhinged for the President of the United States to threaten to commit war crimes and kill ‘a whole civilization’ if his demands are not met. The Speaker and Congressional Republicans must take action to rein him in, then get him out.

Rep. Maxine Dexter, 3rd Congressional District

“Every person in Trump’s chain of command has a duty to refuse illegal orders, including carrying out his unhinged threat to obliterate Iran,” Rep. Maxine Dexter said in a statement posted to social media.

Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval is a lifelong Oregonian who covers trending news, entertainment, food and outdoors. She can be reached at GSandoval@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.