Donald Trump Faces Potential Expulsion From SAG-AFTRA

Donald Trump is one day away from exiting the presidency, and now he reportedly is facing [...]

By Stephen Andrew

Donald Trump is one day away from exiting the presidency, and now he reportedly is facing potential expulsion from SAG-AFTRA. According to Deadline, the union's national board of directors is holding a special session meeting on Tuesday to discuss disciplinary action which could lead to Trump's expulsion. The outgoing U.S. president has been a member of SAG-AFTRA since the two unions — SAG and AFTRA — merged in 2012. Before that, he was a member of each individually beginning in 1989.

Trump's expulsion appears to be related to the recent Capitol riot, which he has been accused of inciting. Though SAG-AFTRA has not issued any official comment on the special session to discuss removing Trump from the union, Article XIV of the SAG-AFTRA Constitution states that members could be suspended or expelled for "engaging in actions antagonistic to the interests or integrity of the union." To be expelled, two-thirds of the national board members would have to vote in favor. However, the meeting on Tuesday is just the beginning of the process. Deadline notes that it could take weeks for Trump's expulsion to be officially handed down, and there would likely be a hearing on the charges against him.

Following the riot, SAG-AFTRA issued a statement that it fully "condemns, in the strongest terms, yesterday's attack on America's foundational principles." The statement went on to say, "Rioters, emboldened and encouraged by a sitting president and his enablers who have peddled baseless conspiracy theories, stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to subvert democracy. As a union and a democratic organization, we are appalled by this attack on the values we hold most sacred."

The SAG-AFTRA statement added, "The disgraceful scenes coming out of the nation's capital have undermined America's institutions and its standing in the world. Displays of the Confederate flag and other symbols of white supremacy and hate were meant to subjugate and terrorize people of color and those of certain faiths. This poison attacks the diverse membership of our union and the labor movement."

Trump is accused of inciting the riot during a speech he gave before the mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol. "Fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore," Trump said, peddling his unfounded claims that the election was stolen from him. However, there is no evidence to support his claims, and Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the new U.S. president on Wednesday.

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