CNN congressional correspondent Manu Raju pressed Ocasio-Cortez on whether Democrats should consider going after Trump directly following the midterm elections.
Her response offered little indication that such a possibility was off the table.
“I mean, I think we should leave all options on the table,” the New York Democrat replied.
When Raju sought further clarification, Ocasio-Cortez doubled down.
“Absolutely,” she responded.
She later reiterated her position, making clear that Democrats were keeping the possibility of additional impeachment proceedings against Trump alive.
“But I think all options are on the table,” she said.
The exchange provides another indication that impeachment could become a major political weapon if Democrats gain greater control over the House and begin pursuing investigations into Trump’s administration.
And Trump is hardly unfamiliar with that particular strategy.
Democrats Want Action Against Hegseth Before January
Before discussing the possibility of impeaching Trump, Ocasio-Cortez was asked whether removing Hegseth through impeachment should be a priority for Democrats once the next Congress convenes.
Interestingly, she suggested lawmakers might not need to wait that long.
“Well, hopefully we don’t even have to wait for the new Congress,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She specifically mentioned Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who has indicated that he intends to revive his impeachment effort against the defense secretary.
“I think that should we have the appropriate numbers, Massie could bring it again, or anyone else.”
Massie previously outlined his plans to introduce a privileged resolution seeking Hegseth’s impeachment. According to ABC News, the Kentucky congressman intends to bring the measure forward, potentially before the incoming Congress officially begins its work.
His proposal contains eight articles of impeachment, including accusations that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973.
The privileged nature of the resolution is particularly significant.
Unlike ordinary legislative proposals, a privileged resolution can force House leadership to address the measure within two legislative days after it reaches the floor.
In other words, even if Republican leadership opposes the impeachment effort, Massie could potentially use House procedures to compel lawmakers to confront the issue.
That possibility has attracted considerable attention from Democratic leadership.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has already indicated that he supports removing Hegseth.
Speaking with ABC News on Sunday, Jeffries described himself as a “hard yes” when asked about impeachment.
He also predicted that the proposal would attract substantial support and confirmed that House Democrats would discuss the matter when lawmakers returned to Washington.
The public statements from Jeffries and Ocasio-Cortez suggest that opposition to Hegseth is becoming an increasingly prominent issue among congressional Democrats.
Trump Stands Behind His Defense Secretary
Despite the mounting pressure, Trump has shown no indication that he intends to abandon his defense secretary.
The president previously defended Hegseth during an interview with ABC News, making clear that he wants him to remain in his administration.
Trump also praised Hegseth’s performance when questioned by reporters.
The president said the defense secretary had “done a fantastic job.”
Hegseth, meanwhile, has pushed back forcefully against the impeachment campaign.
In an online video addressing the controversy, he accused Massie and congressional Democrats of recycling the same political tactics they previously employed against Trump.
The defense secretary characterized the campaign as “the politics of personal destruction” and expressed confidence that the effort to remove him would ultimately collapse.
His response underscores the increasingly contentious relationship between the Pentagon leadership and lawmakers seeking to challenge the administration.
AOC Also Raises Possibility of Criminal Prosecutions
The CNN interview did not end with impeachment.
Raju also questioned Ocasio-Cortez about whether other members of Trump’s Cabinet could face investigations if Democrats secure control of the House in the next Congress.
The congresswoman suggested that criminal prosecutions should also be considered whenever evidence establishes that government officials have committed crimes.
She argued that public officials should be held to the same legal standards as ordinary Americans.
Her remarks indicate that Democrats could pursue multiple avenues of accountability, including congressional investigations, impeachment proceedings, and potential criminal cases.
However, the discussion took another turn when Raju returned to the question of whether Trump himself should face impeachment.
Ocasio-Cortez again refused to eliminate that possibility.
She also took aim at the Supreme Court, accusing the justices of having “kind of legalized a lot of this criminality.”
Her comments reflected the broader Democratic argument that the courts and Congress must play a role in holding the administration accountable.
Nevertheless, she offered no specific timetable or definitive explanation of what actions Democrats might pursue against Trump.
Trump Has Already Survived Two Impeachment Battles
The prospect of another impeachment campaign carries considerable political significance because Trump has already faced two separate impeachment proceedings during his first presidency.
In December 2019, House Democrats approved two articles of impeachment accusing Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The case centered on his dealings with Ukraine.
However, the Senate ultimately acquitted Trump on both charges in February 2020.
Democrats launched another impeachment effort in January 2021 following the January 6 Capitol riot.
This time, the House approved an article accusing Trump of incitement of insurrection.
Once again, the Senate declined to convict him.
The vote fell short of the two-thirds majority required to remove a president through the impeachment process.
The constitutional procedure is straightforward, even if the political battles surrounding it are anything but.
The House can approve articles of impeachment with a simple majority vote. Once approved, the case moves to the Senate, where conviction requires the support of two-thirds of senators present, as Breitbart News reported.
That means even if Democrats successfully advance impeachment proceedings in the House, securing a conviction in the Senate would present an entirely different challenge.
For now, Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks leave little doubt that at least some prominent Democrats are prepared to consider another confrontation with Trump.
With Massie preparing to revive his effort against Hegseth and Jeffries openly supporting the proposal, the defense secretary could soon find himself facing a politically charged battle on Capitol Hill.
But the bigger question may be what happens next.
Ocasio-Cortez has now publicly refused to rule out impeachment against the president himself.
Whether Democrats actually pursue that route remains uncertain. What is becoming increasingly clear, however, is that the prospect of another impeachment fight is already part of the political conversation surrounding Trump’s administration.
And if Democrats regain control of the House, Washington could be heading toward another bitter constitutional showdown.
