Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., continued calling for President Donald Trump’s ouster on Tuesday even after the president announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran.

“This statement changes nothing,” she asserted in a post on X, referring to the president’s Tuesday evening ceasefire announcement. “Whether by his Cabinet or Congress, the President must be removed from office.”

Prior to the ceasefire announcement, Trump, who had been threatening to unleash a devastating attack against Iranian power plants and bridges, sent the following warning in a Tuesday morning Truth Social post: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?”

Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the progressive cadre of lawmakers known as “The Squad,” responded by declaring in a post on X, “This is a threat of genocide and merits removal from office. The President’s mental faculties are collapsing and cannot be trusted. To every individual in the President’s chain of command: You have a duty to refuse illegal orders. That includes carrying out this threat.”

But then on Tuesday night, Trump announced a two-week ceasefire.

TRUMP AGREES TO 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE IF IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks during a rally on March 21, 2025, at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colo. (Chet Strange/Getty Images)

“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!” the president wrote in part of a Truth Social post. “Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated.”

Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in part of a statement, “If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations. For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.”

But even in light of Trump’s ceasefire announcement, Ocasio-Cortez asserted that the president’s “statement changes nothing.”

“The President has threatened a genocide against the Iranian people, and is continuing to leverage that threat. He has launched a massive war of enormous risk and of catastrophic consequence without reason, rationale, nor Congressional authorization – which is as clear a violation of the Constitution as any. Each day this goes on, the risk and criminality of these actions escalate for our nation and the world,” she wrote in the post on X.

EX-TRUMP ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE JOINS LEFT-WING CALLS FOR THE 25TH AMENDMENT AS IRAN DEADLINE NEARS

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 6, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“Moreover, this administration’s self enrichment, insider trading, and pure corruption off this chaos – from crypto currencies to predictive trading markets to bribe ‘settlements’ – has placed the Trump administration’s pursuit of personal wealth squarely against the wellbeing of our nation and its people. All of these incidents, and plenty more, have clearly driven our country past the threshold for impeachment or invocation of the 25th amendment,” she continued.

“We cannot risk the world nor the wellbeing of our nation any longer. None of these considerations should be partisan, but shared in good faith by Americans of all backgrounds who care for the safety and stability of the United States. Whether by his Cabinet or Congress, the President must be removed from office. We are playing with the brink,” she wrote.

AOC TELLS TROOPS TO REFUSE ‘ILLEGAL’ ORDERS AHEAD OF TRUMP’S LOOMING IRAN DEADLINE

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) waves to the crowd ahead of Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration as the 112th mayor at City Hall on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 in New York, New York. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment early on Wednesday.

Oil prices fell sharply Wednesday morning amid news Iran has agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as part of its two-week-long ceasefire with the United States.

But when that will translate to price drops at Canadian gas pumps remains unclear as shipping companies scramble to get their products to market.

Benchmark U.S. crude sank US$16.47 to US$96.48 a barrel Wednesday morning; Brent crude, the international standard, dropped US$13.79 to US$95.48 a barrel.

The national average for regular, unleaded gas in Canada was $1.82.4 per litre Wednesday morning – an increase of two cents from Tuesday, CAA data showed.

The drops reversed some of the rise in oil prices, following the start of the war in late February, which had effectively blocked passage through the strait that’s a crucial route for global supplies.

Late Tuesday, Trump said he was holding off on his threatened attacks on Iranian bridges, power plants and other civilian targets. Iran’s foreign minister said passage through the strait would be allowed for the next two weeks under Iranian military management.

Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade, told The Associated Press the development has sparked “cautious optimism” rather than “outright celebration.”

“The ceasefire is only two weeks long, and markets will be watching closely to see whether shipping through the Strait of Hormuz normalizes as promised and whether the fragile truce can pave the way for a more durable peace agreement,” he added.

1:51
Canadian farmers face soaring diesel, fertilizer costs amid Iran war

Trump acknowledged late Tuesday a 10-point proposal from Iran on ending the war, which he called “a workable basis on which to negotiate” a long-term peace deal despite rejecting it a day earlier. Iran’s clauses included an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and lifting of sanctions and reconstruction.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday that Israel backed the U.S. ceasefire with Iran but that the deal doesn’t cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

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His office said Israel also supports U.S. efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses a nuclear or missile threat.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not meet his deadline of 8 p.m. Eastern to agree to a deal with the U.S. and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Tuesday morning, 12 hours ahead of his deadline.

However, he added that there was potential for something “wonderful” to happen in Tehran.

“However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” he added.

1:21
Carney urges ‘all parties’ in Iran war to ‘respect international laws’

Iranian officials had vowed “an unforgettable hit” and “immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures” if Trump carried through with his threats. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took to social media on Tuesday to announce that he had registered for military service, along with 14 million Iranians.

Pakistan, which was working towards mediating a ceasefire, urged Trump to extend his deadline and Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s threat against Iran’s civilization came after he vowed to bomb every Iranian power plant and bridge over the weekend unless Iran, and dismissed concerns that such actions could amount to a war crime.

Volker Türk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, called Trump’s latest threats “sickening” in a statement.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that Canada “expects all parties in this conflict” to respect international law.

“That means not targeting, certainly, civilians or civilian infrastructure. And we urge all parties in this war to follow those responsibilities as a point we’ve made publicly and privately,” he said.

Trump’s shifting deadlines for the conflict had raised uncertainty over where the conflict was headed as it entered its second month.

2:42
Iran war’s impact spreads through Middle East

On March 21, Trump issued his first ultimatum to Tehran, giving them 48 hours to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blocked in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes.

Trump posted on Truth Social that if Iran doesn’t “FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS.”

Iran had until the evening of March 23.

However, 12 hours before that deadline, Trump took to Truth Social again to announce that he had decided to postpone the strikes against Iran.

“I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD,” he wrote, adding that was subject to the success of the discussions.

That pushed the deadline out to the end of that week.

On March 26, just before the deadline, Trump first doubled down on his threats, adding that there was “NO TURNING BACK.”

Later that day, however, he postponed his deadline another 10 days to April 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

On March 30, Trump put celebrating progress in the talks with Iran while also expanding his threatened bombing if a deal wasn’t “shortly reached,” adding that “it probably will be.”

“We will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!),” he wrote.

On Easter Sunday, in an expletive-laden post on Truth Social, Trump threatened Iran’s power plants and bridges if they did not open the Strait – and extended his deadline once again for 24 hours.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” Trump said, warning Iranians to “open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!”

Shortly after that, he simply posted: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!”

He confirmed to reporters Monday that the time referred to his final deadline.

— with files from Reggie Cecchini and the Associated Press and Reuters

President Donald Trump’s support for his war with Iran began to publicly fray within his own party, as some in the GOP bucked the president’s threat Tuesday morning.

Trump has for several days suggested he would order the military to destroy much of Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including energy sites and bridges, if the country does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump planted that flag again Tuesday morning, declaring that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not act before his 8 p.m. Eastern deadline. While the threat was reversed shortly before the deadline in a Truth Social post revealing a two-week ceasefire after talks with Pakistani leaders, Trump’s strategy is unpredictable.

“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated,” Trump wrote. “On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution.”

Members of security forces watch over the crowd during a funeral procession held for IRGC Navy Chief Alireza Tangsiri, alongside other senior naval commanders and their families who were killed in US-Israeli strikes in late March, on April 1, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

EX-TRUMP ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE JOINS LEFT-WING CALLS FOR THE 25TH AMENDMENT AS IRAN DEADLINE NEARS

He added the administration received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and officials “believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate.”

While Republicans have largely kept quiet about the war, many are refusing to use the term despite Trump referring to it as such on several occasions. But his latest threat has rattled some in the GOP, who view it as a betrayal of how America operates in wartime.

Still, they aren’t calling for Congress to reassert itself as Operation Epic Fury continues in the Middle East. 

“So, let me be clear: I do not support the destruction of a ‘whole civilization,’” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, wrote on social media Tuesday afternoon. “That is not who we are, and it is not consistent with the principles that have long guided America.”

“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,” the Texas Republican added. “But, how we protect the lives of the innocent is just as important as how we engage the enemy.”

And Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has bucked Trump on Venezuela but largely toed the party-line on Iran, called for the saber-rattling to end. 

She charged that his threat “cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran.”

“This type of rhetoric is an affront to the ideals our nation has sought to uphold and promote around the world for nearly 250 years,” Murkowski said on X. “It undermines our long-standing role as a global beacon of freedom and directly endangers Americans both abroad and at home.”

DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO GRIND SENATE TO A HALT TO FORCE PUBLIC IRAN HEARINGS

Others, like Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a close ally of the president’s, hoped that Trump’s threat was “bluster.” 

“I do not want to see that we are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them,” Johnson said. 

Though they are publicly breaking with the latest threat, none have called for legislative action. Both Murkowski and Johnson have repeatedly voted against war powers resolutions pushed by Senate Democrats seeking to block Trump’s authority in Iran.

Still, Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, has vowed to oppose more funding for the president’s Iran campaign until Congress votes to authorize the war, and former Republican-turned independent Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Calif., wants Congress to conduct oversight of the president’s Iran campaign. 

Neither chamber has conducted an oversight hearing so far. 

“The United States does not destroy civilizations. Nor do we threaten to do so as some sort of negotiating tactic,” Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Calif., who recently left the Republican Party ahead of a potentially bruising reelection bid, wrote on social media.

Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., questions Attorney General Pam Bondi during the House Judiciary Committee hearing titled “Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice,” in Rayburn building on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

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Congressional Democrats erupted against Trump’s threat Tuesday with many lawmakers calling for the president’s impeachment or removal via the 25th Amendment. Some Democrats, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., have said those proposals are “unrealistic” in the face of widespread GOP opposition.

The House and Senate are not scheduled to return to Washington until the week of April 13.

The A-10 Warthog has a new maritime role in targeting boats in the war in Iran that could extend the life of the aircraft, which the U.S. Air Force had been attempting to retire for years.

Despite the Air Force trying to phase out the A-10, Congress has resisted its efforts and blocked attempts to reduce the number of these aircraft.

A-10s have been used in the U.S. military campaign against Iran, as the Pentagon sees a need for an aircraft that can loiter and deliver accurate fire against small boats and coastal threats.

TRUMP AGREES TO 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE IF IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

The A-10 Warthog has a new maritime role in targeting boats in the war in Iran. (Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/Nurphoto)

During a Pentagon briefing last month, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said that A-10 aircraft were “in the fight” and operating across the southern flank of the conflict, including targeting Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We continue to hunt and kill mine storage facilities and naval ammunition depots. We continue to hunt and kill afloat assets, including more than 120 vessels and 44 mine layers, and the pressure will continue,” Caine said in the March 19 briefing.

“The A-10 Warthog is now in the fight across the southern flank and is hunting and killing fast attack watercraft in the Straits of Hormuz. In addition, AH-64 Apaches have joined the fight on the southern flank, and they continue to work on the southern side. And that includes some of our allies who are using Apaches to handle one-way attack drones,” he continued.

Despite the Air Force trying to phase out the A-10, Congress has resisted its efforts and blocked attempts to reduce the number of these aircraft. (CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

This comes as President Donald Trump has escalated threats against Iran, including its civilian infrastructure, over its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global energy shipments. However, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday, hours before Trump’s deadline to strike power plants and bridges unless Tehran reopened the Strait of Hormuz.

As of 2026, the Air Force has around 280 A-10 aircraft in service, and Congress required that the fleet not fall below 103 aircraft in Fiscal Year 2026 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.

IRAN’S TALLEST BRIDGE COLLAPSES AFTER REPORTED US AIRSTRIKES, IRAN THREATENS AMERICAN ALLIES IN RETALIATION

President Donald Trump has escalated threats against Iran, including its civilian infrastructure, over its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

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While the A-10 is slower and less stealthy than newer aircraft, making it vulnerable in heavily contested airspace against modern integrated air defense systems, it has a long loiter time over target areas and the ability to visually identify and engage targets.

Originally designed as a Cold War-era tank killer, the A-10 is now being used in a markedly different role — targeting small, fast-moving boats and coastal threats amid the conflict with Iran. The use of the aircraft is intensifying debate over the Air Force’s decade-long effort to retire the jet, as it continues to be utilized in new missions.