What Happens When No One Holds Trump Accountable? I Asked a Top Democrat.
After talking to Ro Khanna, here’s what I learned Democrats are actually considering in response to Trump’s nuclear threat and the Bondi subpoena fight.
We’re watching accountability in the government collapse in real time.
Trump threatened nuclear genocide on an entire civilization with no material congressional response.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi has no plans to respond to a subpoena to testify about her, frankly criminal handling of the Epstein files. And the jury’s out on any consequences there.
The real divide in the Democratic Party right now isn’t ideological it’s tactical:
Do you confront Trump in a way that risks escalating polarization?
Or do you avoid that escalation and risk looking passive?
I spoke with Rep. Ro Khanna about that question and what Democrats are actually doing about it.
3 Takeaways
1. Rep. Khanna urges Democrats to act on extreme measures they’ve been reluctant to use
Democrats should pursue both impeachment and the 25th Amendment. Republicans aggressively pursued the 25th Amendment for President Biden, who never threatened to annihilate a single civilization. Democrats need to step up and meet the moment.
2. Even Democrats admit their responses have been weak
Some of the most forceful statements are coming from people like Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Green, and not Democratic leadership. The democratic base is frustrated that their representatives can’t muster the same fight.
3. He’s already focused on prosecutions after Trump
Including potential criminal consequences for officials tied to the Epstein investigation who refuse to comply with subpoenas.
On Inaction On Trump
What stood out to me here was that Rep. Khanna is moving beyond rhetoric and toward action. Trump’s behavior isn’t just fodder for messaging. It requires a material institutional response. That’s a real shift. So often, Trump will do or say something outrageous or unacceptable, and the best we get out of Democrats are a flurry of “let me be clear-” social media posts. And then nothing happens.
There are signs of life - Rep. John Larson of Connecticut filed articles of impeachment against Trump on Tuesday.
This is not without risk.
If Democrats pursue impeachment or the 25th Amendment, they risk giving Trump exactly what he wants: a polarizing fight that consolidates Republican support and lets him cast himself as the victim.
Rep. Khanna’s view is that the political landscape has changed. This isn’t 2020 anymore. That even parts of the Republican base are showing cracks, and that failing to act carries its own risk.
That’s the bet.
Pam Bondi’s Accountability Gap
This is why we can’t just move on in ‘26 or ‘28. We need accountability.
Certainly, that’s not coming from this Department of Justice, which will absolutely not touch Pam Bondi. But her failure to cooperate with a congressional subpoena and appear for her deposition would be considered criminal contempt. Rep. Khanna said that when Democrats secure a majority in the House, they will vote for that. There’s trouble on the horizon for Pam Bondi and anyone else who’s been cowering under the umbrella of Donald Trump’s protection.
Life is much longer than Donald Trump.
Rep. Khanna argued that the next president should appoint a special counsel to prosecute the Epstein class, which is one of the few issues where the public outrage cuts across party lines.
The Bottom Line
Importantly, Rep. Khanna emphasized that accountability doesn’t just apply to Trump or Pam Bondi, or the entire Epstein class. He’s holding Democrats to account, as well, saying that just because they’re pursuing the 25th Amendment or getting Pam Bondi in to testify, they’re not forgetting about the rest of the agenda: taking care of Americans. That means healthcare, education, tackling the affordability crisis, housing - making your life better.
The real question isn’t whether Democrats know what to do.
It’s whether they’re willing to step up and do it, despite the short term risks. Because if they don’t, the longterm fallout will be catastrophic.
Watched the interview with Khanna. Great. I would be very happy to see him as speaker of the house. Jefferies has to go along with Schumer. Amazing the Democrats are still timid when every single sign in the country points to voters desperate for a Congress with bold vision and actions. I guess we just need to keep replacing the old establishment duds until we get the Congress we want. And by the way, I am 64 years old. I donate, I vote, take part in every demonstration, I contact my Congressperson. I am part of the generation that supposedly wants bipartisanship and norms. We don’t. We want bold, progressive action or we want you to get out of the way.
I'm sure I speak for many of us when I say GO AFTER REMOVING TRUMP! We are way beyond partisanship, there is right and there is wrong. And he has lost his mind. Dems need to move beyond being too scared to make calls for accountability because it might make someone mad or they might push back! They will! So what?! Do it anyway! How about playing to your base for a change!
Ro Kana is looking more like a real Speaker, when we take the House, than Jeffries!