Trump Ally Van Orden Moves to Impeach Federal Judge Engelmayer

Congressman Derrick Van Orden has filed a resolution to impeach U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, accusing him of judicial misconduct after he blocked Elon Musk and Donald Trump's team from accessing U.S. Treasury systems. Impeachment requires a House majority and a Senate two-thirds majority to succeed.

A Republican Congressman and ally of Donald Trump, Derrick Van Orden, has initiated a move to impeach federal Judge Paul Engelmayer. The call came after Engelmayer blocked a Trump and Elon Musk-led team from accessing crucial U.S. Treasury Department systems linked to trillions in payments.

Van Orden's resolution, submitted in the House of Representatives, accuses Judge Engelmayer of judicial misconduct and bias against Trump's administration. For the impeachment to proceed, a simple majority in the House must pass the resolution, followed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate for conviction. Despite Republican control of Congress, they lack the necessary Senate supermajority.

Judge Engelmayer's ruling came as a response to a lawsuit by Democratic state attorneys. With Trump endorsing Musk's role in overhauling federal systems, this judiciary move comes amid increasing Republican efforts to challenge judges who oppose Trump's policies. Historically, federal judge impeachments are rare, driven typically by serious misconduct rather than judicial decisions.

(With inputs from agencies.)