Donald Trump is suddenly facing increased 25th amendment calls, and even one of his former cabinet members has expressed concerns over the 79-year-old’s actions and health. This comes a day after rumors about the president’s health, including a Walter Reed visit, started on social media. White House busted those reports almost immediately.
Trump’s health update
As the White House called a press lid on Saturday, several social media users noted that Trump was avoiding a public appearance. Some even claimed that he was at Walter Reed.
The White House’s Rapid Response 47 account fact-checked these reports, tweeting, “Deranged liberals cook up insane conspiracy theories when @POTUS goes 12 hours without speaking to press.”
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said: “There has never been a President who has worked harder for the American people than President Trump. On this Easter weekend, he has been working nonstop in the White House and Oval Office. God Bless him.”
The president, however, made a brief appearance on Easter Sunday. He went around Washington, DC before playing golf.
Trump’s Iran message
However, 25th amendment became a talking point only after Trump posted a threat for Iran. He used expletives in his Truth Social post.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F****n’ Strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” he wrote.
25th Amendment calls
Slamming Trump for posting an expletive-laden message on Easter Sunday, several commentators demanded his impeachment. Anthony Scaramucci, Trump’s first-term White House Communications Director who served for 11 days, wrote: “It was at this point that our Founders thought the best thing to do would be to remove a mad man who has the executive office. It became more formalized with the 25th amendment, but more people now should be calling for this man’s removal.”
USenator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, urged Trump to “please dial back the rhetoric.” On “Meet the Press” Kaine said Trump’s language was “embarrassing and juvenile” and raised the risk for U.S. service members.
“Everyone in his administration that claims to be a Christian needs to fall on their knees and beg forgiveness from God and stop worshipping the President and intervene in Trump’s madness,” former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican who was one of Trump’s most vocal defenders before her recent resignation, said online about the president’s language.
What is the 25th Amendment, Section 4?
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution provides a mechanism for the Vice President and a majority of the principal officers of the executive departments (the Cabinet) to declare that the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.
Full text of Section 4
“Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”
How it works
The vice president and a majority of the cabinet (or another body designated by Congress) send a written declaration to Congress stating that the president is unable to perform his duties.
The vice president immediately becomes Acting President and assumes full presidential powers.
The president can contest this by sending his own declaration to Congress stating that he is able to resume his duties.
If the president contests it, Congress must decide the issue within 21 days. A two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate is required to keep the Vice President as Acting President. If Congress does not reach a two-thirds majority, the President resumes office.
