AFTER BEING LOCKED out of the Department of Education (DOE) Friday, February 7th, Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-1st) vowed more “street heat” against Trump and Elon Musk, who was tasked by Trump to shut down the DOE which oversees 4,000 employees with a $268 budget. It oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans and grants for K-12 schools.
Rep. Green to impeach Trump
As President Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue to implement sweeping changes, including the removal of federal employees and the shuttering of various social and economic programs, Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-1st) is urging the public to take action by contacting Republican senators.
Jackson called on the public to “let them feel the heat” by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to question why Republicans are allowing Trump’s administration to break the law. Jackson, who is leading protests across the country, emphasized the need for widespread public action.
“We’re going to have to flood the streets of America,” Jackson said during a February 9 broadcast of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He described recent protests outside the Treasury Department, the Department of Education, and the Personnel Department as signs of escalating opposition. “Get your marching shoes, dust them off because the fight is on,” Jackson declared. “They are breaking the law,” he added.
One incident that sparked particular outrage occurred on February 7 when Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) and 30 House members were blocked from entering the Department of Education to meet with acting Secretary Denise L. Carter. The group was reportedly met with a security presence from the Department of Homeland Security, while Musk, a major ally of Trump, was allowed access to the building. Jackson voiced his anger over the situation, calling for Republicans to stop Trump and Musk’s actions, which he described as illegal.
“It’s a spirit of meanness that we are fighting against, and we’re not going to stop,” Jackson said, pledging to continue the fight to protect America’s democracy and the nation’s poor.
Jackson was not alone in criticizing Trump and Musk’s administration for its drastic cuts to federal programs. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also voiced concerns on February 9, accusing Republicans of deceiving voters by promising to reduce the cost of living, only to implement a “bait-and-switch” tactic once Trump took office.
Jeffries pointed to the executive orders Trump signed shortly after taking office, which dismantled agencies such as the Department of Education, USAID, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). According to Jeffries, these moves, which freeze federal funding for nonprofits and gender identity programs, have nothing to do with reducing living costs.
“They have done nothing, not a single thing, to lower the cost of living,” Jeffries said. “Why? Because it is a Republican bait-and-switch.” He argued that the real goal is to enact massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, similar to the 2017 tax cuts, which Jeffries noted benefited the richest 1% of the population.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) also criticized Musk, who has been tapped by Trump to head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Crockett called out Musk for spreading false information about sending $20 million worth of condoms to Gaza, a claim Musk later admitted was untrue. Crockett also condemned Musk’s budget cuts and staff reductions during DOGE’s first hearing, accusing him of further exacerbating inequalities in government programs.
Jeffries, along with Reps. Danny K. Davis (D-7th) and Jackson, agreed that Trump’s actions are part of an effort to extend the 2017 tax cuts for the wealthy by shrinking government programs. Jeffries emphasized that these tax cuts hurt the working class and poor Americans, leaving them to bear the burden of the government’s financial priorities.
Rep. Jackson, inspired by his father, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.’s civil rights message, encouraged the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s audience to “keep hope alive” as they approach next year’s House elections, which Jackson hopes will result in a Democratic majority. He urged activists to remain steadfast in their fight.
“We’re going to fight Trump’s agenda in the streets,” Jeffries added, echoing the call for public action.
The most direct action came from Rep. Al Green (D-TX), who announced on the House floor on February 5 that he would introduce articles of impeachment against Trump. Green’s move followed Trump’s comments about potentially taking over Gaza and relocating Palestinians to Egypt or Jordan. Green condemned Trump’s remarks as “ethnic cleansing,” adding that such statements were particularly troubling coming from the President of the United States.
“Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the President of the United States, the most powerful person in the world,” Green said. He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for allowing Trump’s comments to go unchallenged, referencing the historical significance of the Israeli people’s own experience with persecution. Green also quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., saying, “‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’”
Rep. Green’s call for impeachment came after Trump met with Netanyahu, where Trump reiterated his goal of turning Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” and suggested expelling Palestinians from the region. Green’s resolution could add another layer to the ongoing political battle over Trump’s controversial policies.
On February 11, Musk, who attended a press conference with Trump in the Oval Office, once again stirred controversy by attacking the judiciary. Musk called for a “wave of judicial impeachments” following the blocking of Trump’s attempts to alter government operations. Musk specifically targeted U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, who had blocked DOGE from entering the Treasury’s payment system, which protects sensitive financial data.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) vowed to draft articles of impeachment against Judge Engelmayer, while Pam Bondi, the newly confirmed U.S. General, dismissed Musk’s calls, stating that judicial impeachments would not happen “right now” and that the legal process would continue to be followed.
Meanwhile, Reps. Davis, Jackson, and Father Michael L. Pfleger reiterated their calls for continued activism, urging Democrats to remain resolute in their opposition to the Trump administration.
“The fight is on,” Jackson said, encouraging activists to stay prepared for the long road ahead.
