Washington has been thrown into chaos after Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., announced his plans to introduce impeachment articles against President Biden. In an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, Mills accused Biden of leveraging U.S. dollars against Israel and forcing them into a "quid pro quo" situation.
According to Mills, Biden's actions are similar to those of former President Trump, who was impeached by Democrats over allegations that he withheld aid to Ukraine in exchange for information on his political rival, the Biden family. Mills stated, "As Vice President, Biden was caught threatening to withhold funding and aid to Ukraine unless they fired the attorney general investigating Burisma, a company financially benefiting his son Hunter, not to mention the 10% share for ‘the big guy’ himself."
The call for impeachment comes in response to Biden's interview with CNN on Wednesday night, in which he warned Israel not to enter the southern Gaza city of Rafah. As tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Hamas, with the latter launching attacks on Israeli citizens, Biden said that if Israel goes into Rafah, he will not supply the weapons historically used in those regions.
Biden's statements have drawn fierce criticism from Republicans and some moderate Democrats, with many citing parallels to the first impeachment of Trump. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., called for an immediate impeachment inquiry, stating, "Given Democrats' Trump-Ukraine precedent, President Biden's decision to withhold lethal aid to our ally, Israel, for political gain is undoubtedly an impeachable offense."
Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., echoed similar sentiments, saying that this is just the latest in a long list of reasons to impeach Biden. He pointed to the administration's handling of the situation in Afghanistan and the ongoing crisis at the southern border as other reasons for impeachment. However, it is highly unlikely for the push to reach a Senate trial, as the House's ongoing impeachment inquiry into Biden has yet to find substantial evidence of wrongdoing.
While the push for impeachment may not lead to a trial, it reflects the heightened tensions in Washington amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was the first to call for Biden's impeachment, writing on Twitter, "The House has no choice but to impeach Biden based on the Trump-Ukraine precedent of withholding foreign aid to help with reelection. Only with Biden, it's true."
The White House has responded to the impeachment calls, with White House national security communications adviser John Kirby stating that the president and his team do not support a major ground operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians currently reside. Kirby added that conversations with the Israeli government on alternative means of defeating Hamas are ongoing, and that the president's statement of not providing certain categories of weapons is well-known by the Israeli government.
The call for impeachment has sparked controversy, with some accusing Republicans of using the situation in Israel for political gain. Others argue that Biden's actions are hypocritical, given the Democrats' push for Trump's impeachment over a similar situation.
The push for impeachment also brings attention to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with concerns over the safety and well-being of innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. As the situation continues to escalate, it remains to be seen how the U.S. government will respond and whether impeachment efforts will gain any momentum.