Northern California lawmakers denounce Trump's warning that "a whole civilization will die tonight" in Iran war

Northern California lawmakers denounced President Trump's latest threats against Iran on social media, vowing to wipe out "a whole civilization, and mirroring other Democratic lawmakers nationwide who are now calling for his removal from office.

Ahead of the Tuesday 8 p.m. ET deadline that Trump gave to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he announced a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran. Earlier Tuesday morning, Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran to reopen the strait and agree to other terms to end the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign, saying, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will."

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) on Tuesday said such threats should prompt Congress to remove Trump from the presidency using Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, which establishes procedures for the involuntary removal of a president. 

"Donald Trump's instability is more clear and dangerous than ever," Pelosi said in a statement. "If the Cabinet is not willing to invoke the 25th Amendment and restore sanity, Republicans must reconvene Congress to end this war."

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Fremont), also a candidate for California governor, reiterated the call for Trump's removal in a post on the X social media platform.

"The President must be removed," Swalwell said. "If Congress is too cowardly to do it, his own Cabinet must."   

Rep. John Garamendi (D-Vallejo) said in a statement that Trump's threat was "shocking and despicable."

"The President is unhinged and completely out of control," Garamendi said. "Trump is clearly unfit to serve as President of the United States and it is time for him to be removed from office, either by impeachment or by invoking the 25th Amendment of the Constitution. I call on every congressional Republican to put country over party and help stop this insanity before it is too late."

Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Monterey) issued a statement calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson to call Congress back into session to debate a war powers resolution.

"The President's threat to wipe out a 'whole civilization' in Iran is not just dangerous, it reeks of desperation and depravity," Panetta said. "But this is the very real danger of an individual like Donald Trump having free rein over a war, something our Founders knew could happen and tried to prevent with our Constitution."

Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-Oakland) called Trump's statements "chilling and sickening."

"A sitting president cannot announce his intention to commit these crimes and remain in office. A sitting president who puts our service members in danger is not fit to be Commander-in-Chief. A sitting president who has gleefully floated the death of millions of civilians and the destruction of a civilization with thousands of years of history is not fit to hold the powers of the presidency," Simon said in a statement. "I have voted twice to advance articles of impeachment. We cannot wait. Congress must convene immediately and begin proceedings to remove this man from office for the safety of our nation, Americans, and the world."

Republican lawmakers in California have not issued any public statements as of Tuesday afternoon. Former GOP lawmaker Kevin Kiley (I-Sacramento), who has filed for re-election as an independent, rejected the rhetoric on his X account and said Congress should have oversight over the war.

"The United States does not destroy civilizations. Nor do we threaten to do so as some sort of negotiating tactic. We should all desire a future of freedom, security, and prosperity for the people of Iran," Kiley said. "Congress has a responsibility to conduct oversight with respect to ongoing military operations and our obligations under both U.S. law and international agreements to which we are a signatory."

Other Republican lawmakers across the country have stayed mostly silent or downplayed Trump's message. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson told the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that targeting civilian infrastructure would be a "huge mistake," while Texas Rep. Nathaniel Moran warned against the U.S. forfeiting "our legitimacy to lead the world."

"I do not support the destruction of a 'whole civilization.' That is not who we are, and it is not consistent with the principles that have long guided America," said Moran Tuesday on X. "I have and will continue to support a strong national defense—one that is focused, disciplined, and firmly rooted in protecting the safety and security of the American people. But, how we protect the lives of the innocent is just as important as how we engage the enemy.

"America is great because America is good," he added.