A social media post by United States President Donald Trump threatening to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges on Easter Sunday has triggered the most serious calls yet for his removal from office, with lawmakers from both parties, Republicans and Democrats, questioning his fitness to govern.
Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform on Easter morning, threatened that "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran," warning Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face catastrophic strikes.
The post sent shockwaves through Washington. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut urged the Cabinet to consider invoking the 25th Amendment, a constitutional provision that allows the Vice President and a majority of Cabinet members to remove a president deemed unfit for office, calling the message "completely, utterly unhinged."
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What Is the 25th Amendment?
The 25th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1967, provides for the transfer of presidential power in cases of incapacity. While it has been used briefly during medical procedures, its Section 4, which allows the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet to formally declare the President unable to discharge his duties, has never been invoked in American history. If enacted, Congress would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to make the removal permanent.
Extent Of Disagreement In Congress and Beyond
On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel jointly targeted key military sites in Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior government figures. Iran retaliated by effectively choking off the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes, sending global energy prices surging.
A recent poll found only 14% of Americans support sending troops to Iran, with 62% opposed.
The alarm has spread beyond Democrats. Former Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote that the President "has gone insane" and urged administration officials to intervene, saying all those around him were "complicit."
Ty Cobb, who served as White House counsel during Trump's first term, said the Cabinet's failure to act was inexplicable, calling Trump "clearly insane" and warning that unlike during his first term, there are no senior officials willing to say no to the President.
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