Has Section 4 of 25th Amendment ever been used? Trump's 'Open the F--kin’ Strait' remark triggers concerns
Calls have grown to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment against Donald Trump. The provision calls for removing the president of the United States against his will. Trump's changing statements on Iran and the latest threat have created panic among lawmakers.
25th Amendment calls against Trump grow - Has it ever been used in the past?
Donald Trump's rants and threats against Iran on social media and press conferences have left people wondering about his health. He has been making back-to-back statements about the war, making threats not only against Iran but also against allies like NATO, and changing his statements almost every day. This has led to calls for the 25th Amendment, specifically Section 4, a provision to replace the president. Has it ever been used?
25th Amendment was ratified after Kennedy's assassination
The 25th Amendment is a way to replace the President of the United States under different circumstances. One section also pertains to replacing the vice president. It was ratified in 1967 following the assassination of John F. Kennedy to have a process in place in case of death, removal, resignation, or incapacitation. There are four sections, and the one being called to use in Trump's case is in Section 4.
Section 4 of 25th Amendment
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment offers the procedure to replace the president if he is deemed unfit for office. The majority of the Cabinet and the Vice President must declare the President is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office." The Vice President takes over as Acting President, leaving the President with the option to appeal. The VP and the Cabinet have four days to contest it, and a two-thirds vote in Congress is needed to keep the VP in power.
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment calls to replace President against his will
Section 4 is the most controversial of the four parts of the 25th Amendment. It is a provision to remove the president against his will, and this is why it follows a complex process. A two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate is required to keep the Vice President in power. This Section has never been invoked since it was ratified in 1967.
When was Section 2 of the 25th Amendment invoked?
Sections 2 and 3 of the 25th Amendment have been invoked in the past. In 1973 and the year after, it was used to fill the Vice President position. After Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned, Richard Nixon used Section 2 to appoint Gerald Ford. Later, when Nixon resigned, Ford became the President and used Section 2 to appoint Nelson Rockefeller as his VP.
When was Section 3 of 25th Amendment invoked?
Section 3 has been used a few times since it offers procedures for a temporary replacement. George W. Bush invoked it twice (2002 and 2007), and Joe Biden invoked it in 2021, for health reasons. The power was briefly transferred to their respective Vice Presidents while they underwent medical procedures.
Trump's Easter rant against Iran
Trump's Easter weekend rant against Iran has shocked the world. He wrote on Truth Social, "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--kin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP."
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