Congressional Democrats' offices are being inundated by phone calls from angry constituents who feel the party should be doing more to combat President
Trump and his administration.
Why it matters: Some lawmakers feel their grassroots base is setting expectations too high for what Democrats can actually accomplish as the minority party in both chambers of Congress.
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Axios: "What I think we need to do more is: Put the onus on Republicans, so that the calls that we're getting are directed toward Republicans."
- "There has definitely been some tension the last few days where people felt like: you are calling the wrong people. You are literally calling the wrong people," said one House Democrat.
What we're hearing: More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers and aides said in interviews with Axios that their offices have received historically high call volumes in recent days.
- Some staffers said they hadn't seen this many calls since seminal events like the Oct. 7 attack, the Brett Kavanaugh hearings or even the Trump impeachment proceedings.
- Aaron Fritschner, a spokesperson for Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), said his office's phones have been "ringing off the hook without pause since we opened yesterday morning."
- On social media sites such as X and Bluesky, another aide said, "Every Dem is getting lit up by the neo-resistance folks being like 'do more.'"
What they're saying: "We had the most calls we've ever had in one day on Monday in 12 years," said Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.).
- Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who has served in Congress since 1997, told Axios: "I can't recall ever receiving this many calls. People disgusted with what's going on, and they want us to fight back."
- Former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said his office has received "hundreds, maybe thousands" of calls.
State of play: After a week of being caught flat-footed by President Trump's and Elon Musk's stunning moves to upend the federal bureaucracy, Democrats have spent the last few days flooding the zone with acts of resistance.
- They've rallied outside of multiple federal agencies that Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has targeted, trying unsuccessfully to gain entry to the buildings and interview staffers.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has vowed to use a March 14 federal funding deadline as leverage to try to "choke off" any efforts to defund programs like Medicaid.
- Democratic committee leaders have also sent Trump and his administration a flurry of letters demanding information on DOGE's shock and awe tactics.
Yes, but: Democrats lack many of the crucial legislative and investigative tools afforded to the congressional majority that would give them the kind of power needed to thwart Trump.
- Democrats' letters are little more than paper if Trump chooses to ignore them — only the majority has the power to issue subpoenas. Republicans can also keep their bills from being voted on.
- "We are going to use every tool we have, but I think there is this sense that we have legislative power, and we don't," said the House Democrat who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
- Said Hoyer: "We are in the minority, and that makes it difficult for us to respond."
The other side: Progressive groups that have been leading the charge to flood Democrats' phone lines with calls for resistance are not about to let up.
- "Our member energy is high and this won't be the last any office hears from everyday Americans who want us to fight harder to push back," said Britt Jacovich, a spokesperson for MoveOn.
- Indivisible spokesperson Mary Small said her group has led 31,400 calls to senators and just under 4,000 to House members in the last two weeks.
- "I'm not surprised members are experiencing a high volume of calls, because I think people are scared and are looking for leadership from Democrats on how to fight back," Small told Axios.
