President Donald Trump’s role in the violence at the Capitol is prompting some lawmakers to urge his removal from office through the 25th Amendment.
On Thursday the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York, called for Trump’s immediate removal. “What happened at the U.S. Capitol yesterday was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president. This president should not hold office one day longer,” Schumer said.
But Schumer wasn’t the only one.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made her own personal call for the 25th Amendment to be invoked.
“In calling for this seditious act, the president has committed an unspeakable assault on our nation, and our people,” Pelosi said. “I join the Senate Democratic leader in calling on the vice president to remove this president by immediately invoking the 25th Amendment.”
And she threatened an ultimatum to Vice President Mike Pence and the White House.
“If the vice president and Cabinet do not act, the Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment.”
The message was on tone with Schumer, who also suggested that impeachment be brought back on the table.
“If the vice president and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president,” Schumer had said.
Across the aisle, the first member of the Republican Party has publicly come out and called for the President to be removed from office as well.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., also challenged VP Pence “to ensure the next few weeks are safe for the American people” by way of the 25th Amendment.
It’s with a heavy heart I am calling for the sake of our Democracy that the 25th Amendment be invoked. My statement: pic.twitter.com/yVyQrYcjuD
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) January 7, 2021
“The president is unfit. And the president is unwell,” Kinzinger said. He said Trump “must now relinquish control of the executive branch voluntarily or involuntarily.”
The amendment allows for the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare a president unfit for office. The vice president then becomes acting president. The section of the amendment specifically addressing this procedure has never been invoked.
The Associated Press contributed to this article