Schumer, Pelosi, Democrats, and One Republican Lawmaker Call for Trump’s Removal
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, along with more than 100 Democrats and one Republican, called for President Donald Trump’s removal after a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, leaving four dead and injuring multiple members of the Capitol Police. “This man is deadly. To our democracy and to our people,” Pelosi said of Trump.
— PoliticsVideo23 (@politicsvideo23) January 7, 2021
“What happened at the U.S. Capitol yesterday was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president,” Schumer said in a statement issued Thursday. “This president should not hold office one day longer.”
Schumer continued: “If the vice president and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president.”
.@SenSchumer: "The quickest and most effective way to remove this president from office would be for the Vice President to immediately invoke the 25th amendment." pic.twitter.com/JEIG19dMud
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 7, 2021
In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Pelosi joined Schumer in calling for the invocation of the 25th amendment and possible impeachment. “Yesterday, the president of the United States incited and armed insurrection against America,” Pelosi said. “In calling for this seditious act, the president has committed an unspeakable assault on our nation and our people. I join the Senate Democratic leader in calling on the vice president to remove this president by immediately invoking the 25th amendment. If the vice president does not act, Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment.”
"I join the Senate Democratic leader in calling on the vice president to remove this president by immediately invoking the 25th amendment. If the vice president and cabinet do not act, the Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment." — Pelosi pic.twitter.com/tGdFSbNBMs
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 7, 2021
Trump has called on his supporters to challenge the election results, and addressing the mob in a video on Wednesday, he asked them to remain peaceful but also encouraged them, saying: “I know your pain. I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us.”
There are two options currently under discussion, although both are very unlikely to happen at this point, especially considering Trump has less than two weeks remaining in office and both chambers have recessed until after Biden’s inauguration. Congress could reconvene and move to impeach Trump and remove him from office, then the Senate could vote to prevent Trump from holding federal elected office ever again. But to remove Trump would take a two-thirds majority in the Senate, which seems improbable.
Rep. Ilhan Omar has drawn up articles of impeachment, which she shared on Twitter early Thursday afternoon. Thirteen representatives, including Democratic Reps. Cicilline, Ted Lieu, Al Green, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Cori Bush, joined her in this effort as co-leads.
“Our republic is in great danger, and it is imperiled further without swift action to protect it,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, “The President incited an attack on Congress. He is deeply unstable. The Cabinet must invoke the 25th amendment. Congress must also pursue impeachment and removal of the President.”
Articles of Impeachment for introduction, so proud of everyone co-leading this effort with us.
We need to move quickly to remove this President from office. pic.twitter.com/vbZtA7g6fc
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 7, 2021
With the second option, under section 4 of the 25th amendment, Vice President Mike Pence along with a majority of cabinet members could vote to remove Trump from office because he is is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” Invoking that particular part of the amendment, however, is unprecedented in our nation’s history.
Around 100 Democrats so far have said Trump should be removed, according to a count by NBC News. And Rep. David Cicilline along with 18 other members of the House Judiciary Committee, authored a letter to Pence asking him to use the 25th amendment.
A lone Republican, Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, has joined Democrats in calling for Trump’s removal. “It’s time to invoke the 25th Amendment and end this nightmare,” Kinzinger said.
“The president has become unmoored, not just from his duty or even his oath, but from reality,” Kinzinger shared in a video statement on Thursday. “It is for this reason I call on the vice president and members of the cabinet to ensure the next few weeks are safe for the American people, and that we have a sane captain at the ship.”
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
So far, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not weighed in on removing Trump.
This story is developing and will be updated.