On Friday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that House Democrats will move to impeach President Trump if he does not “imminently and willingly” resign from office, according to The New York Times, Fox News and other reporters privy to a conference call between the lawmakers.
Pelosi spoke with Democratic colleagues on Friday to assess their options for removing the president from office during the final days of his presidency.
Pelosi informed Democratic colleagues on Friday that she spoke with the Joint Chiefs of Staff about preventing Trump from initiating a military or nuclear attack. Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark said that a House impeachment vote could happen by next week if the 25th Amendment is not invoked.
Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham said on Friday that an effort to impeach Trump would be “unsuccessful” in the Senate. Trump was acquitted on two articles of impeachment last year.
Pelosi called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked against President Trump on Thursday. Pence opposes invoking the 25th Amendment to strip Trump of his duties, The New York Times and others report. This follows after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6.
What does the 25th Amendment say?
It clarifies that the vice president becomes acting president when a president becomes unable to carry out his duties. It also provides that a president can be removed if the vice president and a majority of the cabinet determines they are “unable to discharge the powers and duties” of the office. If the president contests the finding, and the vice president and cabinet persist, Congress can order the president’s removal by a two-thirds vote in both chambers.
