Congressional Democrats are mounting a renewed push to remove President Donald Trump from office using the 25th Amendment, citing a Wall Street Journal report that his national security team deliberately limited his knowledge of a rescue operation for downed U.S. pilots in Iran. The report, which the White House has labeled "fake news," claims advisers acted due to the President's alleged "impatience."
Goldman Leads Charge for Constitutional Removal
Representative Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) issued a stark public statement on Sunday, declaring the President "not well" and calling for immediate action. "The commander-in-chief was excluded from commanding a military operation because he was acting so crazy. Think about that," Goldman wrote on social media. He concluded, "Trump is not well. We need the 25th amendment before something really bad happens on US soil."
The 25th Amendment provides a mechanism for the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare a president "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office," transferring power to the vice president as acting president. If contested, Congress would decide the matter with a two-thirds vote in both chambers required to uphold the removal.
White House Dismisses Report, Attacks Critic
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung swiftly rejected the Journal's account. "Think about this: you, a sitting U.S. congressman, getting duped by fake news. Just imagine how easily you might be compromised," Cheung responded to Goldman on the same platform. The administration's rebuttal frames the controversy as another instance of political opponents relying on dubious sources.
Goldman is not alone in his concerns. His call amplifies a growing chorus among House Democrats advocating for an involuntary transfer of power, particularly amidst escalating tensions with Iran. This internal pressure highlights the ongoing fractures within the Democratic coalition on matters of foreign policy and executive authority.
Raskin Points to "Volatile and Unstable" Situation
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a leading constitutional scholar in the caucus, released a detailed statement last week cataloging what he termed dangerous presidential behavior. "Public trust in Donald Trump's ability to meet the duties of his office has dropped to unprecedented lows as he threatens to destroy entire civilizations, unleashes chaos in the Middle East while violating Congressional war powers, aggressively insults the Pope, and sends out artistic renderings online likening himself to Jesus Christ," Raskin stated.
"We are at a dangerous precipice, and it is now a matter of national security for Congress to fulfill its responsibilities under the 25th Amendment to protect the American people from an increasingly volatile and unstable situation," he added. The reference to tensions with the Pope echoes other recent political conflicts involving religious figures.
Context of Iran Crisis and Ceasefire Talks
The political firestorm erupts against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. President Trump faced significant bipartisan criticism earlier this month for a social media post threatening to "wipe out" Iranian civilization, with lawmakers condemning the rhetoric as unhinged and illegal for floating strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Following that incident, Iranian-American Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) expressed relief after the President decided against escalating military strikes. "I'm grateful there's a ceasefire & scores of innocent people didn't die tonight," she said. Current negotiations to extend the ceasefire are being held in Pakistan, with Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly en route to Islamabad, according to Trump's comments to the New York Post.
However, the situation remains tense. Trump has accused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement, and Iran threatened retaliation after U.S. Marines seized an Iranian-flagged commercial ship on Sunday. "We're supposed to have the talks," Trump said in an interview. "So I would assume at this point nobody's playing games." The administration's aggressive trade policies, including sweeping tariffs aimed at reshoring manufacturing, provide additional context for its confrontational international stance.
This episode is likely to become another chapter in the defining constitutional crises of the Trump presidency, as Democrats leverage a wartime incident to question the President's fundamental fitness for command while the White House and its allies dismiss the claims as politically motivated fabrications.
