Illinois Democratic congressional members are denouncing President Donald Trump’s comments that Iran will be destroyed unless the country meets a deadline Tuesday night to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” Trump said in a social media post. “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

The Associated Press reported Tuesday around 6 p.m. that Trump said he was pulling back on his threats to widen attacks on Iran. That would, however, be subject to Iran agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and to reopen Strait of Hormuz, the Associated Press reported.

The president’s statements and handling of the war are drawing sharp criticism and questions about his mental fitness for office from some top Illinois Democrats.

Among those is U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville.

“Under no circumstances should the president of the U.S. be initiating a nuclear strike against the Iranian regime,” Underwood said in an interview with Shaw Local on Tuesday. “He needs to wrap up this war. The American people do not support this war.”

Underwood also called the war on Iran “unconstitutional.”

“It has not been authorized by the Congress as outlined in Article 1 of the Constitution,” she said. “We have not authorized any military action against the Iranian people and this has got to stop.”

Underwood also was concerned about the way Trump’s social media post was worded.

“It’s outrageous,” she said. “I’m very concerned about the President’s mental health, his stability and his fitness to serve. I’m very concerned with his expression of violence. He is out of control and this war has got to stop.”

U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, also harshly criticized Trump’s comments.

“The President of the United States openly threatening to wipe out an entire civilization is nauseating and un-American,” Foster said in a statement. “A president’s words carry real consequences, and they should be used to de-escalate conflict, not push us closer to the brink. This is precisely why our founding fathers gave Congress the authority to declare war, rather than any single power-crazed individual.”

Foster called on Republicans to also denounce Trump’s actions.

“Now is the time for Republicans to do what they know is right: speak out and join Democrats to take action to stop this administration before this war of choice spirals further out of control,” he said.

Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, posted a statement calling Trump’s threat to wipe out an entire civilization “pure evil.”

She said his statements are not “how a President should speak or lead. He plunged the Middle East into chaos, cost US troops their lives, and exacerbated the cost of living at home. Speaker Johnson needs to call the House in NOW so Congress can end this war.”

Fellow Democrat U.S. Rep. Sean Casten from Downers Grove agreed.

“The president’s threat to wipe out an entire civilization is dangerous, reckless, and would constitute a war crime under both domestic and international law,” Casten said in a released statement.

“This rhetoric undermines U.S. credibility, endangers civilians, and places American personnel in untenable legal, moral and mortal jeopardy. Anyone in the Trump Administration who acts on this threat and violates the law must be held accountable, including criminal liability,” Casten said.

He also said Trump should be removed from office because he is not fit to serve.

“The urgency of the situation demands immediate action,” Casten said. “This is the type of moment the 25th Amendment was drafted to address. The president is unfit to serve, and lives are at stake. The entire chain of command has a responsibility in this moment to step up and put their country over their loyalty to the president.”

The 25th Amendment, proposed by Congress and ratified by the states in the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, provides the procedures for replacing the president or vice president in the event of death, removal, resignation or incapacitation.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston, also said it is time for the 25th Amendment to be seriously considered by Trump’s cabinet and said Republicans who failed to act or remain silent are “complicit.”

“If Trump’s Cabinet is too cowardly to act, Congress must do its duty and begin impeachment proceedings before more damage is done,” she said in a released statement. “Constituents are calling my office in tears. They are terrified.”

Schakowsky said Iran’s hardline regime has always posed a threat to the Middle East and that Iran should never be permitted to have a nuclear weapon.

She cited the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that was negotiated by and adopted during President Barack Obama’s administration. The pact placed strict restrictions on Iran’s uranium enrichment and required oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Trump walked away from the agreement during his first administration in 2018.

“We would not be in this situation today if diplomacy had not been abandoned. Trump’s dangerous rhetoric cannot be normalized. We must act immediately to hold this administration accountable and protect the American people,” Schakowsky said.