Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has bluntly dismissed mounting Democratic efforts to invoke the 25th Amendment against President Donald Trump, characterizing the push as a political exercise with no chance of success. Speaking on Stephen A. Smith's 'Straight Shooter' program, Psaki acknowledged the sentiment behind the calls but framed them as a distraction from more practical political strategies.
"While I don't take issue with individuals expressing support for the 25th Amendment, the reality is it's not going to happen," Psaki stated. "The question becomes why we are dedicating so much time and energy to a procedural avenue that requires consensus from officials appointed by the president himself."
Lawmakers Cite 'Unhinged' Iran Threats
The calls for action follow a series of aggressive statements from Trump directed at Iran, including a social media post where he declared "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Tehran failed to comply with U.S. demands. This rhetoric has galvanized a faction of Democratic lawmakers, with more than seventy now publicly advocating for his removal.
Representative Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) summarized the concern, telling NewsNation that "when a president threatens those kinds of things, it's clearly unhinged behavior." The 25th Amendment provides a constitutional mechanism for the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to declare a president unable to discharge the powers of the office, though it has never been used for mental or psychological fitness.
Legislative Push Meets Political Reality
Leading the legislative charge is Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who this week introduced a bill to establish an independent commission to assess the president's capacity to serve. The bill, which has over fifty Democratic co-sponsors, represents a formalization of the concerns raised by his colleagues. Raskin's proposed commission would investigate a president's fitness, though its findings would not be binding.
"We are at a dangerous precipice," Raskin argued in a statement. "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." This effort mirrors other Democratic actions, such as when Representative Mark Takano confronted the HHS Secretary over the administration's refusal to evaluate the president's mental state.
The political theater has drawn reactions across the aisle. Former Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) mocked the premise on social media, writing, "25TH AMENDMENT!!! Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilization." Her comment highlights the deep partisan divide over interpreting the president's statements and the appropriate constitutional response.
A Constitutional Long Shot
Analysts widely agree with Psaki's assessment that invocation is improbable. The amendment requires the vice president and a majority of the cabinet—all appointed by Trump—to agree he is unfit, a scenario considered politically untenable. Furthermore, any such declaration could be immediately contested by the president, leading to a Congressional vote requiring a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
The debate occurs against a backdrop of heightened international tension. Trump's threats toward Iran have complicated an already fragile geopolitical standoff, with global institutions like FIFA proceeding with plans that include Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup despite the ongoing diplomatic crisis. Meanwhile, domestic political maneuvers continue elsewhere, such as the redistricting amendment in Virginia that could reshape the political landscape for future elections.
Ultimately, Psaki's comments underscore a strategic rift within the Democratic opposition: between those seeking a direct, constitutional confrontation over the president's fitness and those viewing it as a symbolic gesture that consumes resources better spent on electoral challenges. As the November election approaches, this internal debate over tactics is likely to intensify, even as the immediate prospect of removing Trump via the 25th Amendment remains, in the words of a key insider, "not going to happen."
