The battle over the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has escalated into an impeachment fight, as House Republican Eli Crane (R-AZ) introduced articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer.
The judge, an Obama appointee, recently issued a temporary order restricting Trump officials from accessing a crucial Treasury Department payment system, siding with 19 Democrat state attorneys general who sued to block DOGE’s authority.
Crane’s impeachment resolution accuses Engelmayer of “high crimes and misdemeanors,” citing judicial misconduct and political bias. The first article claims the judge acted outside the bounds of his authority by blocking Trump’s executive order on purely political grounds, demonstrating “clear bias and prejudice” against the president and the millions of Americans who supported him.
The second article alleges that Engelmayer used his position to further personal and political interests, undermining the impartiality expected of the judiciary.
The timing of Engelmayer’s ruling has also raised questions. The judge issued his order in the middle of the night, which Crane’s resolution suggests was a deliberate move to influence ongoing legal battles in favor of anti-Trump plaintiffs.
The case itself revolves around DOGE’s mission to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal agencies—an initiative that has sparked fierce opposition from entrenched bureaucrats and their political allies.
Elon Musk, who has been leading the DOGE initiative, responded to the impeachment move with a simple but pointed reaction on X: “Good.”
Crane followed up by emphasizing that judges who wish to act as politicians should step down and run for office rather than use the bench to impose partisan rulings.
This impeachment push highlights broader Republican frustrations with what they view as judicial overreach. Crane and his allies argue that activist judges have repeatedly used their positions to obstruct Trump’s executive authority, citing cases in which courts have blocked immigration policies, regulatory rollbacks, and now government efficiency efforts.