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The president's latest threat to destroy bridges and power plants in Iran has alarmed Washington. Democratic lawmakers are warning of concrete initiatives to declare Trump unfit for office, to avoid possible war crimes and a global catastrophe. Previously, under the law, this could also be done by Vice President JD Vance, an openly anti-war Republican, and most of the White House cabinet.
President Donald Trump's decision to bomb Iran alongside Israel on February 28, despite internal warnings of retaliation and without a clearly articulated reason, has surprised the American public and lawmakers.
Equally surprising have been his decisions to harshly attack American allies, offer various deadlines for American withdrawal, as well as assassinate dozens of the country's leaders and suspected targeting of civilians and civilian objects.
Iran has retaliated by blocking the world's most important energy corridor, the Strait of Hormuz, sharply raising prices worldwide. Trump's next potential move, which he threatened to take on Tuesday, has led some to consider him unfit for the job.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all rolled into one, in Iran,” Trump wrote on Easter Sunday, again threatening to bomb Iran’s civilian power plants and bridges. “There will be nothing like it!!! Open the filthy Strait, you crazy bastards, or you will live in hell!”
Trump set a deadline of 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face American bombs, despite talks he himself has called "productive" toward a ceasefire.
Israel has already attacked Iranian civilian energy infrastructure, including the South Pars gas field and oil depots in Tehran, potentially violating international humanitarian law.
Trump's open threat of actions that could amount to war crimes has prompted some lawmakers and critics to call on his Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy wrote on social media: "If I were in Trump's cabinet, I would spend Easter calling constitutional lawyers about the 25th Amendment. What is happening is completely and utterly depraved. He has already killed thousands of people. And he is threatening to kill thousands more."
"Even blowing up a small portion of Iran's bridges and power plants will kill thousands of innocent people working at those power plants and traveling on the country's roads. That too is a war crime. And for what? To force Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, WHICH WAS OPEN BEFORE TRUMP STARTED BOMBING IRAN??? This is pure madness. It won't work. It will simply tarnish America once and for all. Republican Party leaders should call Congress into session this week to end this war," Murphy added.
What is the 25th Amendment?
The 25th Amendment, which ensures the prompt, orderly, and democratic transfer of executive power, is divided into four main articles. The first article provides that if the president dies or resigns, he is replaced by the vice president.
Meanwhile, Article 2 requires the president to appoint a new vice president in the event of a vacancy. Article 3 allows the president to voluntarily transfer power to the vice president in cases of temporary incapacity, such as medical procedures.
However, the one that is being discussed the most today is the fourth article, as it allows the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to declare the president incapacitated, even without his consent. Since its ratification in 1967, this involuntary impeachment article has never been activated.
And it is precisely this mechanism that Trump's opponents are now turning to, arguing that his latest ultimatum is clear evidence of his madness and inability to hold office.
Reactions and calls for dismissal
"The 25th Amendment exists for a reason. The President of the United States is a fool and a threat to national security," wrote Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari. Meanwhile, fellow Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury added: "The King is naked. It's time to activate the 25th Amendment!"
Even former close Trump allies like Ty Cobb and Anthony Scaramucci have expressed concern about the turn of events. Cobb said Trump's late-night tweets demonstrate his "level of madness and degeneracy."
Even Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a loyal supporter of the president, called on members of the administration to intervene and stop the "Trump madness," adding that the wars are being based on old lies.
Despite the momentum of the calls, analysts like Simon Jenkins remain skeptical. “The chances of this happening are said to be slim,” he wrote in The Guardian. Yet Trump himself acknowledged last month that his strategy could lead to this: “They’ll probably start the 25th Amendment proceedings.”/ Pamphlet from “Time”
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