Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has been joined by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in calling on President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to remove him from office following Wednesday’s violent assault on the Capitol by the president’s supporters. Trump called the mob that swarmed the Capitol “very special” people and said he loved them.
Pelosi said Thursday that if Trump not removed under 25th Amendment, Congress may go forward with impeachment. “The president of the United States incited an armed insurrection against America,” she said.
The 25th Amendment allows for the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the president unfit for office. The vice president then becomes acting president.
Democrats and some Republicans want Trump removed before his term ends on Jan. 20 with Democrat Joe Biden’s inauguration.
In a statement Thursday, Schumer said the attack on the Capitol “was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president.” He added, “This president should not hold office one day longer.”
Schumer said Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet should invoke the 25th Amendment and immediately remove Trump from office. He added, “If the vice president and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president.”
“What happened at the U.S. Capitol yesterday was an insurrection against the United States, incited by President Trump. This president must not hold office one day longer.”
Oregon senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, also Democrats, followed with similar calls on Twitter.
“As I said last night Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our democracy,” Wyden wrote. “His Cabinet must use the 25th amendment to act. And if Mike Pence and Trump’s “see-no-evil” Cabinet don’t have the stomach to do their duty, Congress should re-convene to impeach this dangerous man.”
“As I said last night Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our democracy. His Cabinet must use the 25th amendment to act. And if Mike Pence and Trump’s “see-no-evil” Cabinet don’t have the stomach to do their duty, Congress should re-convene to impeach this dangerous man.”
“Trump is absolutely unfit and should be removed from office,” Merkley tweeted. “If we can do it by Jan 20 by impeachment, I am all for it. The cabinet and VP can and should invoke the 25th Amendment TODAY.”
“Trump is absolutely unfit and should be removed from office. If we can do it by Jan 20 by impeachment, I am all for it. The cabinet and VP can and should invoke the 25th Amendment TODAY. And there should be criminal investigations and prosecutions. Justice demands accountability.”
Other Democrats in Oregon’s congressional delegation have also called for Trump’s removal.
“It’s time for him to resign or be removed from office,” Rep. Suzanne Bonamici said Wednesday. “This is completely unacceptable that he has encouraged these acts of violence.”
She followed up Thursday on Twitter with a further statement: “This was a free and fair election—the hallmark of our democracy—in which the voters selected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to be our President and Vice President. Donald Trump must be removed from office before he can cause any further destruction.”
Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Portland called for Trump’s removal Wednesday, writing: “Besides impeachment, I also support invoking the 25th Amendment. This madman must be removed as soon as possible and we can’t allow him to burn the house down as he goes out the door.”
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