Democratic Michigan Congressman Shri Thanedar abruptly backed away from his plan to force a House vote on impeaching President Donald Trump, a move that had stirred intense backlash within his own party. Thanedar, who originally vowed to press ahead with the effort despite long odds, reversed course after fellow Democrats warned him that pushing the issue would distract from their legislative priorities.

According to a report from Politico, Thanedar privately admitted that mounting pressure from Democratic colleagues played a decisive role in his decision. In a text message statement, he explained his retreat: “After speaking with many colleagues, I have decided not to move forward with forcing an impeachment vote today. Instead, I will expand my articles of impeachment and work to build support among Democrats and Republicans to uphold the Constitution with me.”

His impeachment threat had already frustrated numerous House Democrats, who saw it as an unwelcome spectacle that would not only fail in the Republican-controlled chamber but also overshadow what they consider more urgent fights. Party leaders have been trying to keep public attention on what they claim are efforts by Republicans to push through major Medicaid cuts in what Trump has labeled his “big, beautiful bill.”

Members of the House progressive bloc—including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Greg Casar of Texas, Brad Schneider of Illinois, and Jamie Raskin of Maryland—were seen holding lengthy conversations with Thanedar shortly before he dropped the plan. According to sources, these discussions were part of a last-minute attempt to keep internal divisions from spilling into public view.

The broader legislative environment only heightened the urgency among Democratic leaders. Republicans are working to advance a sweeping bill centered on significant tax cuts for Americans. But the legislation faces turbulence not just from Democrats, who have criticized proposed reductions to federal social safety net programs, but also from within the Republican Party itself.

Despite Trump’s enthusiastic branding of the bill as “big” and “beautiful,” the proposal is already facing serious hurdles in the Senate. CNN’s Manu Raju reported that Republican Senators Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rand Paul of Kentucky have voiced early opposition. Johnson expressed alarm about potential increases to the federal deficit, while Paul objected to any measure that raises the debt ceiling.

Raju also indicated that resistance from moderate Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska could further jeopardize the bill. Should either of them join Johnson and Paul in opposition, the legislation’s prospects would dim considerably.

Under normal Senate procedure, major legislation requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. However, Republicans hope to use the budget reconciliation process, which allows certain budget-related bills to pass with a simple majority—meaning 50 votes plus Vice President JD Vance as the tie-breaker. With 53 GOP senators, Republican leadership can only afford three defections.

Still, internal divisions threaten to splinter support. Reports from Alternet noted that disagreements among Republican factions have already emerged, particularly when it comes to funding cuts for federal programs such as Medicaid.

Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri made his objections public in a New York Times op-ed. He vowed to oppose any reconciliation bill that includes significant reductions to Medicaid, citing the large percentage of Medicaid recipients in his home state. Hawley condemned the proposed cuts as “morally wrong and politically suicidal,” drawing a sharp line between populist-leaning Republicans and fiscal hawks.

At the same time, if the bill does not include deep enough cuts, it risks dying in the House before ever reaching the Senate. Hardline conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus have demanded aggressive cost-saving measures as a condition for their votes.

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas—one of the group’s most vocal members—outlined his non-negotiable demands in a pointed post on X. He insisted the bill must significantly reduce the deficit, overhaul Medicaid, and fully repeal President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. Roy also pushed for provisions that would strengthen the administration’s ability to carry out large-scale deportations, saying recent judicial barriers must be removed for Trump’s immigration agenda to succeed.

“Does the bill meaningfully reduce the deficit?” Roy wrote. “Does the bill offer any transformative changes on Medicaid or otherwise? Does the bill fully repeal the IRA…? Does the bill fix judicial abuses preventing implementation of the President’s agenda to deport?”

These internal Republican disputes, combined with Democratic messaging battles, have created a complicated dynamic on Capitol Hill. Thanedar’s retreat from forcing an impeachment vote reflects that tension: Democrats want the national focus on Medicaid cuts and the GOP’s internal struggles—not on an impeachment effort that stands no chance of success.