Speculation regarding Democrats’ intentions to remove Trump from power has been denied for over a year, yet talks about the 25th Amendment have returned to the forefront. Interestingly, instead of shutting down the conversation, House Democratic leaders seem to be inviting it.
On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) announced a Friday briefing concerning the 25th Amendment, which will be conducted by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and members of the House Judiciary Committee. This announcement follows President Trump’s declaration of a two-week ceasefire with Iran, alongside officials praising the achievements of Operation Epic Fury. Jeffries condemned Trump’s recent threats to “wipe out” Iranian civilization and unleash “hell” on Tehran.
In a letter to his colleagues, Jeffries expressed disbelief over Trump’s aggressive Easter Sunday comments. He emphasized the urgency for Republicans to prioritize patriotic duty over party loyalty and collaborate with Democrats to address what he termed “madness.”
While Jeffries refrained from directly calling for Trump’s removal, he did advocate for a resolution aimed at limiting the president’s war powers concerning Iran—a measure that House Republicans thwarted on Thursday.
As Trump raised alarms with his escalating warnings to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, more lawmakers voiced support for impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment. Representative Rashida Tlaib from Michigan stated on social media, “It’s time to invoke the 25th Amendment. This lunatic should be removed from public office.” Similarly, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) argued that Trump is out of control and insisted that his Cabinet should take action.
Moving toward this approach entails a higher threshold than impeachment, as the 25th Amendment has never been successfully used to forcibly remove a sitting president. It requires the vice president and a majority of Cabinet members to agree that Trump is unfit for office. If Trump disagrees, a two-thirds vote from both Congressional chambers would be necessary to uphold that ruling.
Some Democrats have candidly noted that the likelihood of effectively using the 25th Amendment seems low—even if there’s agreement that Trump should step aside. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) remarked that following Trump’s comments, there’s been a noticeable increase in interest surrounding the 25th Amendment, suggesting a serious need for evaluation of the president’s mental state.
Yet, Whitehouse pointed out that due to the current makeup of Trump’s Cabinet, along with the political landscape, invoking the 25th Amendment may not be a feasible option right now. “We’ll have to find a way to win through traditional means,” he added.
Previously, in 2021, the idea of using the 25th Amendment gained traction after the January 6 Capitol attack, but efforts led by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to push a resolution through Congress ultimately fell flat.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for a response.
