We’ve heard calls to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to strip Donald Trump of his presidential powers before. The insanity of Trump’s war of choice against Iran, and–perhaps more embarrassingly for his usual defenders and cohorts–his inability to articulate it without describing war crimes, are merely our current reasons to hold the conversation.
As an example, on Monday Time posted “What to Know About the 25th Amendment as Lawmakers Call for Trump’s Removal” by Miranda Jeyaretnam. Here a few Indivisibles around Oregon pitch in their thoughts.
Peter Bergel
Salem Regional Indivisible, Indivisible One Million Rising, The PeaceWorker (Founder/Editor) / Salem
If I believed that J.D. Vance and the cabal of sycophants who comprise Donald Trump’s cabinet would ever do it, I would say: absolutely invoke the 25th Amendment. If ever there was a moment for which that amendment was created, this is that moment.
We have a president who pursues disastrous policies, mostly enriching himself and those who are already inconceivably wealthy, unconstrained by any of these:
- Decency,
- The Constitution,
- The law,
- The good of the country,
- The wellbeing of the country’s citizens,
- The country’s international reputation and standing,
- The wellbeing of the world’s people.
Furthermore, not only his policies, but also his communications seem unhinged to a frightening degree. In my earlier days I would not have believed that a president could do what he has done and nobody would stop him.
If we had federal “public servants” who had even a bit of the courage they demand of those in uniform, if they took seriously the oath they all swore to uphold the Constitution, if they actually cared what is best for the country, they would do their duty and invoke the 25th Amendment now – before Trump does more damage.
Sadly, that is unlikely to happen. But nevertheless, calling for it is worthwhile. It is another way to publicly announce that the emperor has no clothes. And you never know…
We are under no illusion that having Vance as president would be a whole lot better, but at least he lacks the charisma that seems to be capable of holding the entire GOP in thrall.
Bobby Sample
Dunes City Indivisible / COIN Comms Team
This may sound cynical, but I’ve often worried about the downsides of Trump’s fall from power resulting from anything other than his due criminal justice or, at long last, a conviction following impeachment by Congress.
The alternatives include removal for health reasons, or worse yet, his death–which may well generate the same twisted trend of sickening hagiography we witnessed after the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Those who succeed Trump may not be charismatic cult leaders, but they are smarter and more strategic than this president to be sure — every last one of them. They’re equally intent on fortifying their oligarchy with whatever momentum may be left of the MAGA movement. I’m unconvinced that fewer innocent people would die overseas or that this administration’s racist and anti-LFBTQ+ policies would slow down, under an Acting President Vance. He’d probably find crafty ways to promote a MAGA revival freed of Trump’s ties to the Epstein scandal and other setbacks. Regardless of whether significant policies change to improve affordability, he’d use the moment to announce a fresh start. I’d want to see the defenders of Trump outnumbered in Congress before anything like that actually occurs. As I mentioned, yes, that’s cynical — it’s too much like wishing for one more year of all of this harm and insanity, because it might be the only way to win the country back long-term.
Relieving Trump of his office ASAP is still the right thing to do, whether it’s strategic for positive outcomes in November or not. I’m just expressing my worries about this choice of two evil results. Achieving major electoral change this year is more urgent than ever!!
Justin Lloyd Ludwig
Florence Indivisible, City Club of Florence, Florence Young Professionals, Florence ORganizes / Florence
I believe any responsible cabinet would have used the 25th Amendment a long time ago, but then I also thought voters would have made a different decision in 2024 after what we all witnessed on January 6th.
This week, Trump doubled down on his threat to commit war crimes by saying Tuesday that he would wipe out a “whole civilization,” which should certainly give U.S. officials and service members grave concern about the leader who sits upon the golden toilet.
It may someday be buried among a mountain of other insane statements, but he did actually write, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”
The United States of America is a party to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, and the War Crimes Act of 1996 codified into law that breaches of international conventions are a federal crime. In refusing to distinguish between civilians and combatants, or avoiding excessive civilian harm, our country would indeed be clearly stepping into the cold company of other regimes who committed war crimes in the past.
To be fair, if anyone had the ego and desire to be more remembered than Hitler, it would be Donald. War crimes have always been the trump card needed to win that contest. To be remembered, though, requires that there are people still on the planet who survived such a dark turn. Hitler never had a nuclear arsenal.
Do I think the cabinet will invoke the 25th Amendment? That would require cabinet members to acknowledge facts that have been so evident, for so many years, that it would stain any future political ambitions they may have. Who wants to be the ones to admit that the emperor wears no clothes?
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