Chuck Schumer Calls for Donald Trump to Be Removed From Office Immediately

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer joined the growing number of lawmakers Thursday calling for [...]

By Allison Schonter

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer joined the growing number of lawmakers Thursday calling for President Donald Trump's immediate removal from office following the Capitol riots Wednesday. In a statement issued just hours after President-elect Joe Biden's win was certified, Schumer, the incoming Senate majority leader, called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked or for Congress to draw up articles of impeachment.

In his statement, Schumer said the president "incited" what he called "an insurrection against the United States," and said Trump "should not hold office one day longer." He went on to call for Trump's immediate removal from office via "the quickest and most effective way." He called on Vice President Mike Pence to "immediately invoke the 25th amendment" and should that not happen, said "Congress should convene to impeach the president."

Schumer is just the latest Democratic lawmaker to call for Trump's removal. As the riots continued throughout Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Ilhan Omar announced on Twitter that she was drawing up articles of impeachment, writing, "Donald J. Trump should be impeached by the House of Representatives & removed from office by the United States Senate." She said, "We can't allow him to remain in office, it's a matter of preserving our Republic and we need to fulfill our oath." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez echoed the call, tweeting, "Impeach."

With just two weeks left in his presidency, it is unclear if an actual movement will be made to impeach the president. If articles of impeachment were brought forth, they would be history-making, as no president has been impeached twice. Trump was previously impeached, and acquitted, on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Numerous lawmakers have also called for Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, which would allow the vice president to step in as president if Trump were found to be unable to perform his duties. Rep. Adam Kinzinger became the first GOP lawmaker to issue the call Thursday, stating in a video shared to Twitter, "The president caused this. The president is unfit and the president is unwell. And the president now must relinquish control of the executive branch voluntarily or involuntarily."

The 25th Amendment, according to CNN, was ratified in 1967 in the wake of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 and lays out the procedures for replacing the president in the event of death, removal, resignation or incapacitation. Along with Pence being on board with the move, it would also require a majority of Trump's Cabinet officials to agree that the President is unfit for office and temporarily seize power from him.

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