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Article II: Treason

(See articles I: Tyranny and III: Obstruction of Justice)

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Resolution

RESOLVED, that Donald J. Trump, President of the United States is impeached for Treason, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the Senate:

Article of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for Treason.

Article I: Treason (Levying War Against the United States)

In his conduct while President of the United States, Donald John Trump, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has levied war against the United States as defined by the Treason Clause of the Constitution. 

Donald John Trump has admitted he believes himself at war with the United States to an audience of U.S. generals assembled from commands worldwide for an unprecedented meeting in Quantico, Virginia on September 30, 2025: “You know, the Democrats run most of the cities that are in bad shape… what they’ve done to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, they’re very unsafe places and we’re going to straighten them out one by one. And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war too. It’s a war from within.” 

His orders to militarized federal agents and National Guard units under his command affirm this belief, when interpreted through standards established by the Supreme Court of the United States and by principles of armed aggression recognized by the international community and enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, as follows:

Political Revolution by Force

Chief Justice John Marshall, writing for the Supreme Court in 1807, noted that “[If] the government established by the United States in any of its territories was to be revolutionized by force, although merely as a step to or a means of executing some greater projects, the design was unquestionably treasonable, and any assemblage of men for that purpose would amount to a levying of war.”

In his conduct while President of the United States, Donald John Trump has willfully assembled men for the purpose of revolutionizing by force the government established by the United States, in that:

Authorities from across the political spectrum–including former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy–acknowledge that Donald John Trump’s policy aims are revolutionary. Trump himself, in his second inaugural address, declared, “Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders. With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.” He seeks a material or entire change in the constitution of our government, as his administration works to redefine the contours of power between the Presidency and the Congress of the United States, the Courts of the United States, the People of the United States, and the sovereign States of our Union. The fundamental beauty of our democratic system is that anyone in the United States may seek such political change. The President of the United States, in particular, has myriad tools with which to pursue a revolutionary agenda. But to pursue these aims by force is treason.

On January 20, 2025, Donald John Trump issued an Executive Order “Establishing and Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency.’” With this act, which was among his “historic executive orders” beginning his “revolution of common sense,” he assembled men to pursue his revolutionary aims by various means–including the use of force: 

On February 19, 2025, Donald John Trump issued an Executive Order declaring the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) to be an “unnecessary governmental entity” and directing it to close. 

On February 24, 2025, USIP leaders met with DOGE representatives to explain that their institute is an independent nonprofit corporation outside of the Executive branch–but offering to discuss the situation and maintain cooperation with the Executive branch. 

Instead, on March 17, 2025, Donald John Trump’s DOGE group resorted to coercion, trespass, and assault in order to overcome USIP’s objections–and those of its civilian security contractor. The Trump government took the USIP building by force of arms, not arguments. 

By standing on its legal rights, USIP made plain for all observers that political violence lurks behind Donald John Trump’s “revolution of common sense”. Because they refused to comply in advance with an illegal directive, all could see that Donald John Trump’s DOGE group was ultimately willing to resort to force. In fact, Donald John Trump openly threatens violence against anyone who objects to his reshaping of our government, including members of Congress, sitting federal judges, and the public at large–in whose case he makes no distinction between peaceful demonstrations and violent ones. These threats of force, supported by the actions of federal agents at his command, intimidate opposition to a degree which has historically been sufficient to convict offenders of treasonous levying of war in U.S. courts.

Donald John Trump, however, has done more than threaten. He supports these threats with specific directions to military units and federal agents under his command, for example: 

Since June 2025, beginning in Los Angeles, militarized federal agents and National Guard units at Donald John Trump’s command have been conducting operations in U.S. cities. Across multiple cities, heavily-armed paramilitary forces have deployed to high-visibility areas and filmed their own conduct as they indiscriminately assault civilians, the press, the clergy, unarmed protesters, and even members of Congress. These heavily-armed paramilitary agents have openly defied judicial attempts to legally constrain their use of force to legitimate purposes.

On September 25, 2025 Donald John Trump formally indicated the purpose of these extensive operations when he promulgated National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7), which orders federal agents under his command to target and disrupt ideological opposition to his revolutionary policies. This memorandum illustrates a motive for his various militarized operations within the United States, which he had launched both before and after issuing it. In the spirit of NSPM-7, Donald John Trump has deployed federal agents to cities across the United States to support his revolutionary program by suppressing legitimate popular dissent, treating all protesters as “violent rioters” and routinely violating the First Amendment rights of those engaging in legitimate opposition to his policy objectives. 

The President has authority to send federal agents into U.S. cities to enforce federal law, but while these paramilitary forces operate under a claimed mandate to enforce immigration law, their conduct is properly understood as a psychological terror operation consistent with the “war” Donald John Trump described to US Generals on September 30, 2025. The lawless nature of their mission is most easily visible in the moments when they engage in conduct no existing authority could even arguably authorize. For example:

On October 2, 2025 local law enforcement in Illinois accused these heavily-armed paramilitary agents of intentionally impeding legitimate local law enforcement operations by filing fake 911 calls to distract emergency services (a felony offense).

On October 1, 2025 heavily-armed paramilitary agents both exceeded the bounds of any legitimate government authority, descending from attack helicopters to enter every home in a Chicago apartment building to make indiscriminate arrests which no court in the United States is empowered to authorize, and also ignored their supposed mission to enforce immigration law, as no individuals detained in their raid were ever charged. On January 7, 2026 a whistleblower complaint revealed that as of May 12, 2025 an internal ICE memo has directed agents “to forcibly enter into certain people’s homes without a judicial warrant, consent, or an emergency…conduct that DHS in 2025 legal training materials (citing Supreme Court precedent) has called ‘the chief evil against which the wording of the Fourth Amendment is directed.’” Congress became aware of this secret memo via an anonymous report as immigration agents’ use of this self-granted power to nullify Fourth Amendment protections proliferated dramatically across Minnesota’s Twin Cities.

The connection between these federal incursions and his government’s larger “revolution of common sense”, including his effort to overturn legitimate policies set at the state level by his political opponents, is supported by the explicit statement a high officer within his own administration: On January 24, 2026, after federal paramilitary agents had killed two citizens of Minnesota without provocation (as documented on video from multiple angles), Attorney General Pamela Bondi sent Governor Tim Walz a letter pressuring his government to adopt specific policy proposals in order to mediate the federal government’s antagonistic position toward his state. As Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has observed, “the Pam Bondi letter reveals what this is all about. This is not about fraud and it’s not even about immigration, it’s certainly not about law enforcement. It’s about handing over documents of the State of Minnesota, private information, including voting information, to the federal government.”

The message of these militarized sorties by federal agents into high-visibility areas of our cities as they target the press, the clergy, and unarmed protesters, is clear: the new federal order is not a matter for civil debate. Donald Trump has sent these forces into a “war” (by his own words) on Democrat-led U.S. cities to suppress legitimate opposition to the “revolution” (by his own words) that his government is pursuing.

Multiple sovereign states whose citizens are suffering as federal agents wage war against them, accountable to and at the ultimate direction of Donald John Trump, understand their circumstances in exactly these terms: a violent political campaign to interrupt the regular operation of their governments and coerce them into accepting a subordinate role incompatible with federalism:

The State of Minnesota, in a lawsuit brought under the Tenth Amendment against the Department of Homeland Security, has argued, “[o]n information and belief, Defendants’ decision to target the Twin Cities with an unprecedent [sic] surge of federal agents has been motivated by a desire to retaliate against perceived political enemies rather than good faith immigration enforcement, public safety, or law enforcement concerns..Operation Metro Surge is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities…driven by nothing more than the Trump Administration’s desire to punish political opponents and score partisan points—at the direct expense of Plaintiffs’ residents. Defendants’ actions appear designed to provoke community outrage, sow fear, and inflict emotional distress, and they are interfering with the ability of state and local officials to protect and care for their residents.”

The State of Illinois, in a lawsuit brought under the Tenth Amendment against the Department of Homeland Security, has argued, “[u]nder the pretext of enforcing federal immigration law, the federal government is attacking Illinois and Chicago’s ability to carry out their core sovereign functions—to regulate public health, establish and implement a system of education for Illinois residents, defend the state’s economy, provide public safety and administer a judicial system, enforce state statutes, implement state programs, and ensure that Illinois residents receive the full benefits of state and federal law.”

These sovereign governments are describing a campaign of force in service of an effort to render the Tenth Amendment inoperative within their borders; to overturn the federal system of the United States. They are describing a treasonous levying of war.

In assembling men to deploy force to sustain his political revolution, Donald John Trump has levied war against the United States, as understood by the Supreme Court of the United States in the words of its greatest Chief Justice. As the Declaration of Independence said of George III, “He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.” Therefore, Donald John Trump’s conduct demands impeachment and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

Trespass on State Sovereignty (Belligerent Occupation)

In his conduct while President of the United States, Donald John Trump, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has violated the sovereignty of states of the Union and violated the principle of equality among sovereign states of the Union, thus destabilizing the Union itself, in that:

The UN General Assembly, reflecting the consensus of the international community, understands any military occupation resulting from an invasion by the armed forces of one State into the territory of another State is an act of aggression, regardless of a declaration of war.

The United States Constitution reflects a similar principle within our federal system governing a union of sovereign states, conditioning the federal power to deploy state militia on the consent of the state whose sovereign territory would be entered through the Domestic Violence Clause.

On October 5th, acting on Donald John Trump’s intent as stated to U.S. generals on September 30th, Secretary of Defense Peter B Hegseth invoked 10 U.S.C § 12406 to federalize and bring under Department of Defense control up to 400 National Guard from the State of Texas to deploy into Chicago. On October 6th, Governor Pritzker, executive leader of the sovereign state of Illinois, recognized that Donald John Trump’s deployment of Texas National Guard troops into Illinois territory against his government’s consent is an “invasion”.

Donald J. Trump pursued this military occupation against judicial authority, disregarding court injunctions and attempting to circumvent the United States courts to deploy the National Guard from one state into the sovereign territory of another state against that state’s consent.

Further, Donald John Trump disavowed any legal authority available to him by virtue of his office when he confessed to US generals under his command on September 30, 2025 that he himself understands his actions amount to war.

In directing the militia of one state to enter the sovereign territory of another state against the consent of that state’s government, Donald John Trump has levied war against the United States, as understood by the international community’s consideration of the proper relationship between the armed forces of co-equal sovereign entities. 

Therefore, Donald John Trump’s conduct demands impeachment and trial, and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

References:

  1.  Donald J. Trump. “Donald Trump Addresses Military Leadership in Quantico, Virginia.” Rollcall.com, Sep 30, 2025.
  2. Ex Parte Bollman and Swartout 8 U.S. 75 (1807) at 133.
  3. See e.g., McCarthy, K. (2025, Nov 17). Assessing the Trump Revolution ft. Kevin McCarthy [Webinar]. Harvard Institute of Politics; The Economist. “Trump is a revolutionary. Will he succeed?” The Economist, Apr 24, 2025.
  4. Donald John Trump. Second Inaugural Address (Jan 20, 2025).
  5.  See e.g., Greg Rosalsky, “Can President Trump ignore Congress’ spending laws? The debate over ‘impoundment‘,” NPR (Feb 18, 2025).
  6. See e.g., Rebecca Beitsch and Zach Schonfeld. “Trump confronted for defiance of court orders across series of cases,” The Hill (Apr 21, 2025).
  7. See e.g., Lawrence Hurley. “Birthright citizenship and other Trump executive actions likely to face pushback from the courts” NBC (Jan 21, 2025).
  8. See e.g., Laura Figueroa Hernandez. “Trump power grab on state issues testing U.S. federalist system, experts say,” Newsday (Aug 30, 2025).
  9. Exec. Order No. 14217, 90 F.R. 10577 (2025).
  10. United States Institute of Peace v. Jackson, 1:25-cv-00804 (D.D.C): Document 1 (“Complaint”) at 11, filed Mar 18, 2025.
  11. United States Institute of Peace v. Jackson, 1:25-cv-00804 (D.D.C): Document 1-5 (“Declaration of George Foote”), filed Mar 18, 2025.
  12. See e.g., Meg Kinnard. “Trump says Democrats’ message to military is ‘seditious behavior’ punishable by death,” AP News, Nov 20, 2025; Josh Marcus & Joe Sommerlad. “MTG accuses Trump of ‘directly fueling’ death threats against her son by calling her traitor,” The Independent (Dec 8, 2025).
  13. See e.g., Kkanishka Sing. “US Supreme Court Justice Jackson criticizes Trump’s attacks on judges,” Reuters, May 2, 2025. (“”The attacks are not random. They seem designed to intimidate those of us who serve in this critical capacity,” Jackson said at a judges’ conference in Puerto Rico.”)
  14. See e.g., Erica L. Green & Maggie Haberman. “Trump Threatens Any Protesters at Military Parade With ‘Very Big Force,” The New York Times, Jun 10, 2025. (“President Trump said on Tuesday that protesters who assembled during a military parade he planned in Washington on Saturday for the Army’s 250th birthday would be met with “very big force” — a dark warning that made no distinction between peaceful demonstrations and violent confrontations.”); See also Newsom v. Trump, 25-cv-04870-CRB (N.D.CA): Document 225: (“Order Granting Renewed Motion for Preliminary Injunction”), filed Dec 10, 2025 (“It is profoundly un-American to suggest that people peacefully exercising their fundamental right to protest constitute a risk justifying the federalization of military forces.”).
  15. See Brief for the Constitutional Law Prof. Mark A. Graber as Amicus Curiae, pp. 12-14, Trump v. Anderson, 601 U.S. ___ (2024).
  16. See e.g., Chicago Headline Club v. Noem, 1:25-cv-12173 (N.D. IL): Document 285 (“Opinion and Order”), filed Nov 20, 2025 (“Defendants have made statements critical of the First Amendment right toprotest or speak critically about the administration’s actions…While Defendants argue that they used less lethal force as a de-escalation technique to reduce the risk of harm to both agents and the public, Plaintiffs have marshaled ample evidence that agents intended to cause protesters harm and that no legitimate governmental interest justified their actions.”); Longworth et al. v. Trump et al., 6:25-cv-02268-AA (D. OR): Document 1: (“Complaint”), filed Dec 5, 2025; Jim Mustian and Jack Brook, “Records detail government online monitoring in New Orleans immigration crackdown.” Los Angeles Times, Dec 7, 2025.
  17. Dept. of Homeland Security [@DHSgov]. Oct 28, 2025. “We REFUSE to back down from our mission to make America safe. @CMDROpAtLargeCA is putting his life on the line to protect our citizens, and no amount of radical terror or anarchy will stop us in our mission ”. [Tweet]. X.com.
  18. National Security Presidential Memorandum 7, 90 FR 47225 (2025).
  19. Chicago Headline Club v. Noem, 1:25-cv-12173 (N.D. IL): Document 285 (“Opinion and Order”), filed Nov 20, 2025. See esp. pp. 38-41.
  20. Dave Savini & Samah Assad. “Broadview police chief accuses ICE agents of making false 911 calls.” CBS News, Oct 2, 2025.
  21. Jennifer Rubin and Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, “ICE is out of control: Aaron Reichlin-Melnick on raids, detention, and deportation” The Contrarian, Oct 7, 2025. “No warrant could authorize entering every single apartment, smashing down every door, and dragging every person out in handcuffs, which is what they did.”
  22. Melissa Sanchez et al. “‘I Lost Everything’: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime.” Pro Publica, Nov. 13, 2025.
  23. Anonymous, “Anonymous Whistleblower Disclosure” Whistleblower Aid, Jan. 6 2026. (Internal citations omitted.)
  24. Walter Olson, “In Minnesota, ICE Is Assaulting the Constitutional Rights of Citizens” Cato Institute, Jan. 23, 2026.
  25. Devon Lum, Robin Stein, and Ainara Tiefenthäler. “Videos Contradict Trump Administration Accout of ICE Shooting in Minneapolis” The New York Times, Jan. 8, 2026 and “Live Updates: Federal Agents Kill a 37-Year-Old Minneapolis Man” The New York Times, Jan. 24 2026.
  26. U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, January 24, 2025.
  27. Ava-joye Burnett. “Attorneys for Minnesota ask a judge to move quickly to halt ICE’s operations in the state” 3 KRTV Great Falls, Jan. 26, 2026.
  28. State of Minnesota, City of Minneapolis, and City of St. Paul v. Noem, 0:26-cv-00190 (D. MN): Document 1: (“Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief”), filed Jan 12, 2026.
  29. State of Illinois and City of Chicago v. Department of Homeland Security, 1:26-cv-00321 (N.D. IL): Document 1: (“Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief”), filed Jan 12, 2026.
  30. UNGA Res. XXIX; 14 December 1974 (“Definition of Aggression”).
  31. Oregon et al. v Trump et al., 25-6268 (9th Cir.): DktEntry: 100.1 (“Amended Order; Statement by Judge Bybee in support of en banc review”), filed Dec 8, 2025. (“Except in unusual circumstances, discussed below, the United States may intervene to quell domestic violence within a state only when it is invited by the state’s legislature or the governor…the Militia Clause is the Constitution’s grant of authority to Congress to use the Militia in response to a request for assistance under the Domestic Violence Clause…The guardrail of a state’s request figured prominently at the Convention. When South Carolina’s Thomas Pinckney moved to eliminate “on the Application of its legislature,” his motion immediately spurred objections from several delegates.”)
  32. State of Illinois & City of Chicago v. Trump, 1:25-cv-12174 (N.D. IL): Document 1: (“Complaint for Emergency, Declaratory, and Injunctive Relief”), filed Oct 6, 2025.
  33. Araceli Gomez-Aldana & Michel Martin. “Illinois governor calls National Guard deployment an ‘invasion’ of his state.” National Public Radio: Morning Edition, Oct 6, 2025.
  34. Hubler, Shawn, Anna Griffin, and Eric Schmitt, “Judge Again Blocks Guard Deployment as Trump Expands His Targets” New York Times, Oct 06, 2025.
  35. Donald J. Trump. “Donald Trump Addresses Military Leadership in Quantico, Virginia.” Rollcall.com, Sep 30, 2025.
Second version of this article (before Minneapolis occupation)

(See articles I: Tyranny and III: Obstruction of Justice)

H. RES _____

RESOLVED, that Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, and Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, are impeached for Treason, and that the following article of impeachment be exhibited to the Senate:

Article of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, and Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security in maintenance and support of its impeachment against them for Treason:

Definition: Treason

The Constitution provides that the House of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” and that the President and all civil Officers of the United States, “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” Further, the Constitution declares that “Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort” In their respective conduct, Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, and Kristi Noem have, while performing the duties of their office —and in violation of their constitutional oath to faithfully to execute the duties of their office and, to the best of their ability, to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States — engaged in Treason by levying war against the United States in that:

Confessions to Treasonous Levying of War

On September 30, 2025, Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth addressed the entirety of US military leadership to explicitly declare their plans to execute a “war from within” the United States. They made this declaration of war to the military leadership they expect to execute the war. Peter B. Hegseth further requested that military leaders with the integrity to resist unlawful orders resign, saying “if the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign.“

In remarks subsequent to Peter B. Hegseth’s speech, Donald J. Trump, in his official capacity as President of the United States, explicitly tied this war from within to American cities run by the opposition party, saying “You know, the Democrats run most of the cities that are in bad shape… what they’ve done to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, they’re very unsafe places and we’re going to straighten them out one by one. And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war too. It’s a war from within.”

Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have forcibly nationalized and deployed the National Guard in an effort to deny and violate the right of the People of the United States to freedom of speech, and of assembly, and to petition the government for redress of grievances, embarking on a wide-ranging censorship campaign to punish his political opponents, chill opposition, and retaliate against constitutionally protected speech, association, and expression, including protest and political opposition. On October 5, 2025 Donald J. Trump, in his official capacity as President of the United States, remarked to an audience of naval cadets “[W]e have to take care of this little gnat that’s on our shoulder called the Democrats.”

Donald J. Trump has further delighted in his effort to wage war upon the United States, posting, in his official capacity as President of the United States, an image of the Chicago skyline in flames captioned: “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” and including a depiction of himself in the image of the fictitious warmonger character Lt. Col. Kilgore from the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. The post was titled “Chipocalypse Now.”

These statements by Trump and Hegseth are not a crime. They are, however, a confession.

Treasonous Acts: 

I. Political Revolution by Force (Levying War)

The clear and unambiguous interpretation of the words and statements of the President of the United States and his Secretary of Defense – that they believe their operations within American cities, against American citizens and their political opposition to constitute a war– is borne out by the administration’s actions:Donald Trump has levied war on the United States by assembling men for the purpose of revolutionizing by force the government established by the United States in several of its territories. 

Whereas ”revolution” is simply “a material or entire change in the constitution of government” and the United States has previously been revolutionized through legitimate political means such as  Roosevelt’s New Deal program and the changes effected by the Voting Rights Act. 

Whereas a variety of commentators–including former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy– have rightfully spoken of “The Trump Revolution.”

Whereas sitting members of Congress acknowledge Donald J. Trump’s repeated usurpation of powers explicitly delegated to Congress by the Constitution including usurpation of Congressional spending power, taxation power, and war powers.

Whereas President Trump himself has said he does not know if he needs to follow the Constitution, a foundational document of the government of the United States of America and the basis of the nation’s current form of government.

Whereas under Donald J. Trump’s rule the executive branch has repeatedly declined to pursue legitimate political methods for reshaping the government, instead imposing revolutionary programs by force, having assembled men for this purpose. 

Whereas Donald J. Trump assembled the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency,” an alleged governmental agency which in March 2025 resorted to coercion, trespass, and the commandeering of weaponry in order to overcome resistance to his illegal, unprecedented executive order shuttering the US Institute of Peace, a nonprofit corporation funded by Congress.

Whereas on September 25, 2025 Donald J. Trump promulgated NSPM-7, ordering federal agents under his command to target and disrupt ideological opposition to his revolutionary policies.

Whereas, in the spirit of this September 25th order, Donald J. Trump, by and through his close subordinate and agent Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security has deployed federal agents to cities across the United States to support his revolutionary program by suppressing legitimate popular dissent, treating all protesters as “violent rioters” and routinely violating the First Amendment rights of those engaging in legitimate opposition to his policy objectives.

Whereas these heavily-armed paramilitary agents have openly defied judicial attempts to legally constrain their use of force to legitimate purposes.

Whereas on January 7th, 2026, these heavily-armed paramilitary agents executed legal observer Renee Nicole Good while she exercised her first amendment right to protest their activities.

Whereas the conduct of these heavily-armed paramilitary agents is properly understood as a psychological terror operation consistent with the “war” Donald J Trump and Peter B Hegseth described to US Generals on September 30, 2025: 

On October 1, 2025 heavily-armed paramilitary agents deployed in this way both exceeded the bounds of any legitimate government authority, descending from attack helicopters to make indiscriminate arrests no court in the United States is empowered to authorize, and also ignored their supposed mission to enforce immigration law, as no individuals detained in their raid were ever charged.

On October 2, local law enforcement in Illinois accused these heavily-armed paramilitary agents of intentionally impeding their own legitimate operations by filing fake 911 calls to distract emergency services (a felony offense).

Across multiple cities, heavily-armed paramilitary forces have deployed to high-visibility areas and filmed their own conduct as they indiscriminately assault civilians, the press, the clergy, unarmed protesters, and even members of Congress.

Whereas on August 25th 2025 Donald J Trump issued an Executive Order to expand his capacity to inflict similar operations on additional cities by ordering Peter B Hegseth to “ensure the availability of a standing National Guard quick reaction force that shall be resourced, trained, and available for rapid nationwide deployment.”

By their orders and by the conduct of the forces they have assembled and directed, Donald J Trump, Peter B Hegseth, and Kristi Noem have levied war upon the United States.

II. Assault on State Sovereignty (Belligerent Occupation)

Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth’s use of National Guard forces, and Kristi Noem’s use of federal paramilitary forces like ICE across state lines and against gubernatorial consent creates a threat to sovereignty sufficiently grave to merit consideration as an additional meaning for treasonous levying of war against these United States.

On October 5th, Peter B Hegseth invoked 10 U.S.C § 12406 to federalize and bring under Department of Defense control up to 400 National Guard from the State of Texas to deploy into Chicago. Governor Pritzker, executive leader of the sovereign state of Illinois, has recognized that Donald J Trump and Peter B Hegseth’s deployment of Texas National Guard troops into Illinois territory against his government’s consent is, in his own words, an “invasion”. In response to the murder of Renee Nicole Good by federal paramilitary forces, Governor Walz of Minnesota has put the Minnesota National Guard on alert. 

The UN General Assembly, reflecting the consensus of the international community, understands any military occupation resulting from an invasion by the armed forces of one State into the territory of another State is understood as an act of aggression, regardless of a declaration of war. 

By forcibly deploying the National Guard from one state (Texas and California) into the sovereign territory of other states (Illinois and Oregon), and deploying heavily-armed paramilitary forces such as ICE over the objections of the officials tasked with maintaining law and order by the Constitution, Donald J. Trump, Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, and Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security have violated the sovereignty of states of the Union and violated the principle of equality among sovereign states of the Union (by allowing one state to exercise authority of the territory of another and invading states with federal forces), thus destabilizing the Union itself.

Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have further pursued this military occupation without colorable legal authority, disregarding court injunctions and attempting to circumvent the courts entirely to pursue their forcible federalization and deployment of the National Guard from one state into the sovereign territory of another state against that state’s consent.

Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have also disavowed colorable legal authority by confessing to US generals under their command on September 30, 2025 that they themselves understand their actions amount to war.

Donald J. Trump further responded to efforts by Congress to reaffirm the military’s commitment to the Constitution, referencing the oath of office that military members, members of Congress, and the President himself all swear, and reminding  military members that they must refuse illegal orders in accordance with U.S. and international law, with threats encouraging violence seeking to intimidate and coerce the Representatives and Senators in Congress.

Treason Warrants Impeachment and Removal

Among the grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence is the following charge: “He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.” The same can now be said of Donald J. Trump, Peter B. Hegseth, and Kristi Noem.

Furthermore, Abraham Lincoln’s prescient words from 1858 echo to the present: a house divided against itself cannot stand. The actions of the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security constitute the levying of war against the United States.  The actions of the President, the Secretary of Defense,and the Secretary of Homeland Security constitute Treason.

In summary, Donald J. Trump, Peter B. Hegseth, and Kristi Noem have committed an overt act of Treason by levying war against the United States with both paramilitary and military forces, in plain view of Congress and the public. They have sought to jeopardize the union of these United States by setting the States against one another and against the federal government in pursuit of absolute, unchecked, despotic power. They have demonstrated, repeatedly, that they will remain a threat to the American people, democracy, the Constitution and these United States if allowed to remain in office.  

Donald J. Trump, Peter B. Hegseth, and Kristi Noem have betrayed their respective trusts as President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of Homeland Security, abused the power of their offices, violated the sovereignty of the States and the system of constitutional federalism, sought to provoke and escalate civil disorder, and imperiled the most fundamental principles of civil-military relations in the United States. 

Wherefore, by such conduct Donald J. Trump, Peter B. Hegseth, and Kristi Noem have committed Treason by levying war against the United States, they thus warrant impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

First version of this article (Trump and Hegseth only)

Article II: Treason

(This articles was updated on 8 January, 2026 to include Kristi Noem and the use of paramilitary forces to wage war against the United States. For additional articles of Impeachment, please see I: Tyranny and III: Obstruction of Justice)

H. RES _____

RESOLVED, that Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, and Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense are impeached for Treason, and that the following article of impeachment be exhibited to the Senate:

Article of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, and Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against them for Treason:

Definition: Treason

The Constitution provides that the House of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” and that the President and all civil Officers of the United States, “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” Further, the Constitution declares that “Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort” In their respective conduct, Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, and Peter B. Hegseth, Secretary of Defense have, while performing the duties of their office —and in violation of their constitutional oath to faithfully to execute the duties of their office and, to the best of their ability, to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States — engaged in Treason by levying war against the United States in that:

Declaration of Treasonous Plans

On September 30, 2025, Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth addressed the entirety of US military leadership to explicitly declare their plans to execute a “war from within” the United States. They made this declaration of war to the military leadership they expect to execute the war. Peter B. Hegseth further requested that military leaders with the integrity to resist unlawful orders resign, saying “if the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign.“ [1]

In remarks subsequent to Peter B. Hegseth’s speech, Donald J. Trump, in his official capacity as President of the United States, explicitly tied this war from within to American cities run by the opposition party, saying “You know, the Democrats run most of the cities that are in bad shape… what they’ve done to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, they’re very unsafe places and we’re going to straighten them out one by one. And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war too. It’s a war from within.”[2]

Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have illegally deployed the National Guard in an effort to deny and violate the right of the People of the United States to freedom of speech, and of assembly, and to petition the government for redress of grievances, embarking on a wide-ranging censorship campaign to punish his political opponents, chill opposition, and retaliate against constitutionally protected speech, association, and expression, including protest [3] and political opposition. On October 5, 2025 Donald J. Trump, in his official capacity as President of the United States, remarked to an audience of naval cadets “[W]e have to take care of this little gnat that’s on our shoulder called the Democrats.” [4]

Treasonous Actions

The clear and unambiguous interpretation of these words – that the President of the United States and his Secretary of Defense intend to wage war against American cities, American citizens, and their political opposition – is borne out by the administration’s actions. Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have illegally [5] federalized and deployed the National Guard over the objections of the Governors of California, Oregon and Illinois, who have not requested any federal or military assistance, [6,7] usurping the power and responsibility to maintain order and exercising police power as vested in the State by the Constitution of the United States. Further, by forcibly deploying the National Guard from one state (Texas and California) to another state (Illinois and Oregon) over the objections of the officials tasked with maintaining law and order by the Constitution, [8] Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have pitted State against State, violated State sovereignty, and threatened the system of federalism established by the Constitution of the United States.

Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have relentlessly pursued their goal of levying war against the United States by disregarding injunctions [9] issued by the courts and attempting to circumvent the courts entirely [10] to pursue their illegal federalization of the National Guard and forcible deployment to States. 

Donald J. Trump has further delighted in his effort to wage war upon the United States, posting, in his official capacity as President of the United States, an image of the Chicago skyline in flames captioned: “Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” and including a depiction of himself in the image of the fictitious warmonger character Lt. Col. Kilgore from the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. The post was titled “Chipocalypse Now.” [8]

Abraham Lincoln’s prescient words from 1858 echo to the present: a house divided against itself cannot stand. The actions of the President and the Secretary of Defense constitute the levying of war against the United States.  The actions of the President and the Secretary of Defense constitute Treason.

Treason Warrants Impeachment and Removal

In summary, Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have committed an overt act of Treason by levying war against the United States in full view of the public. They have sought to jeopardize the union of these United States by setting the States against one another in pursuit of absolute, unchecked, despotic power. They have demonstrated, repeatedly, that they will remain a threat to the American people, democracy, the Constitution and these United States if allowed to remain in office.  

Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have betrayed their respective trusts as President of the United States and Secretary of Defense, abused the power of their offices, violated the sovereignty of the States and the system of constitutional federalism, sought to provoke and escalate civil disorder, and imperiled the most fundamental principles of civil-military relations in the United States. Among the grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence is the following charge: “He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.” The same can now be said of Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth. 

Wherefore, by such conduct Donald J. Trump and Peter B. Hegseth have committed Treason by levying war against the United States, they thus warrant impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

Additional Context For Our Readers:

As described in the State of Illinois and City of Chicago v. Trump, Noem Hegseth, and Driscoll, “Secretary Hegseth, on October 4th, invoked 10 U.S.C. § 12406 to federalize and bring under Department of Defense control up to 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, over the objection of the Governor of Illinois (“Federalization Order”), and, on October 5th, another up to 400 National Guard from the State of Texas to deploy into Chicago (“Texas Mobilization Order”). […] The Texas Mobilization Order was an undated memorandum from defendant Hegseth that, similar to that issued the prior weekend in Oregon, referenced the June 7 Presidential memorandum that had been used as support for the federalization of California’s National Guard months prior.”

References:

  1. Transcript, “Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Addresses General and Flag Officers in Quantico VA,” war.gov, 30 Sep 2025
  2. Transcript, “Donald Trump Addresses Military Leadership in Quantico VA”, Roll Call, 30 Sep 2025
  3.  Masterson M, “Chicago Journalists, Protestors, Suing Trump Administration Over Alleged First Amendment Violations at Broadview ICE Facility,” WTTW News, 6 Oct 2025
  4. “President Trump Delivers Remarks at Naval Station Norfolk,” Forbes Breaking News 5 Oct 2025
  5. Woodward A, “Trump illegally sent National Guard to Los Angeles, Federal Judge Rules,” Independent, 2 Sept 2025
  6. Siedel J, “Illinois sues Trump over National Guard deployment,“ Chicago Sun Times, 6 Oct 2025
  7. Gerstein, J, “Newsom joins Oregon’s suit after Trump sends California National Guard to Oregon,” Politico, 5 Oct 2025
  8. State of Illinois and City of Chicago v. Trump, Noem, Hegseth, and Driscoll, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, filed 6 Oct 2025
  9. CBSNews, “Oregon Judge temporarily blocks deployment of the National Guard to Portland”, 5 Oct 2025
  10. Hubler S, Griffin A, Schmitt E, “Trump sends California National Guard Troops to Portland Ore.” 6 Oct 2025

Citizens' Impeachment