Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger on Thursday called for Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump from office.
“All indications are that the president has become unmoored not just from his duty, or even his oath, but from reality itself,” Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois said. “It is for this reason that I call for the vice president and members of the Cabinet to ensure the next few weeks are safe the American people and that we have a sane captain of the ship.”
The 25th Amendment allows for the vice president and Cabinet to remove a president in the case of a disability and would take a two-thirds vote in both chambers to overrule any objection from the president.
Legal experts debate whether or not it could be used to remove an unpopular president.
Demands to implement the 25th Amendment surged among Democrats after thousands of Trump supporters mobbed the U.S. Capitol, but Mr. Kinzinger is the first Republican lawmaker to join the call for Mr. Trump’s removal.
As the chaos unfolded Wednesday, Mr. Kinzinger was among the first Republicans to blame Mr. Trump and his rhetoric for inciting the angry crowds that attacked the Capitol and law enforcement.
Later in the day, Mr. Kinzinger was joined by several more of his party, including senior members on the Hill such as House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney and GOP Senate Policy Chairman Roy Blunt.
It’s with a heavy heart I am calling for the sake of our Democracy that the 25th Amendment be invoked. My statement: pic.twitter.com/yVyQrYcjuD
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) January 7, 2021
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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