Several US Congress members criticised Trump’s posts on his social media platform Truth Social where he used expletive language.
On April 5, Trump wrote: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fckin’ Strait, you crazy bst*rds, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”
The remarks drew sharp criticism from netizens and lawmakers and triggered calls within sections of the Democratic Party to consider constitutional measures, including the 25th Amendment, which allows for the removal of a sitting president on grounds of incapacity.
Also Read: Iran US Israel War Live Updates
Representative Melanie Stansbury said, “The emperor has no clothes. Time for the #25thAmendment. Congress and the Cabinet must act,” sharing Trump’s post on X.
Senator Chris Murphy called the remarks “completely unhinged,” adding, “If I were in Trump’s Cabinet, I would spend Easter calling constitutional lawyers about the 25th Amendment.” In a follow-up post, Murphy said Trump was “going to commit mass war crimes” and urged Republican leaders to call Congress back into session to intervene.
Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari described Trump as a “national security threat,” saying, “The 25th Amendment exists for a reason. The President of the United States is a deranged lunatic, and a national security threat to our country and the rest of the world.”
Senator Elissa Slotkin warned that the threats, if acted upon, could violate international law. “President Trump’s latest threats on Truth Social, if carried out, would violate the law of armed conflict as laid out in the Geneva Conventions and the DoD Law of War Manual. It is both irresponsible and wrong to indiscriminately kill civilians in Iran and destroy civilian infrastructure like bridges and power plants,” she said.
Senator Chris Van Hollen also criticised the remarks, saying, “Trump is clearly unfit to be President. But do not let that explain away the evil of his threatening war crimes against the Iranian people… We cannot let Trump normalise this.”
Also Read: Trump extends Iran negotiation deadline to Tuesday, otherwise Tehran will be ‘living in hell’
What is the 25th Amendment?
As calls to remove Trump from the post of the President of the United States grow, it is important to understand what the 25th Amendment is all about.
The 25th Amendment to the US Constitution lays out procedures for replacing the President or Vice President in cases of death, resignation, removal, or incapacity.
It was ratified following the assassination of John F. Kennedy and later gained prominence during the Watergate scandal, which led to Richard Nixon’s resignation and succession by Gerald Ford.
What does the 25th Amendment say?
The amendment has four sections.
Section 1 deals with succession, making the Vice President the President in case of death, resignation or removal. Section 2 allows the President to nominate a Vice President if the post is vacant, subject to Congressional approval.
Section 3 enables a President to voluntarily transfer powers to the Vice President by declaring inability to discharge duties.
Section 4—central to current calls—allows the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the President unfit to serve. In such a case, the Vice President assumes powers as Acting President. If the President contests this, Congress must decide, with a two-thirds majority required in both Houses to sustain the removal.
Also Read: Satellite firm Planet Labs to indefinitely withhold Iran war images
