Trump Floats Idea of Modifying 25th Amendment to Allow Congress to Impeach Vice President for Covering Up President's Incapacity
ICARO Media Group
In a rally held in Mosinee, Wisconsin, former President Donald Trump suggested modifying the 25th Amendment to enable Congress to impeach a vice president who covers up a president's incapacity. Trump specifically referred to Vice President Kamala Harris and accused her, along with Democrats, of concealing President Joe Biden's health issues, particularly his mental fitness. Trump's comments come after Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race amidst concerns about his age and acuity.
The 25th Amendment provides a process for removing a sitting president from power, and some Republicans in Congress had previously called for invoking it to remove Biden after his contentious June debate performance. This amendment was also used by Democrats to attempt to remove Trump following the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. However, the idea of changing a Constitutional amendment, as Trump proposed, is highly unlikely to come to fruition.
Trump's remarks on Saturday highlight his ongoing struggle to adapt to running against a new opponent. He has expressed discontent about the change in the Democratic ticket and has occasionally appeared confused about his current competitor. Trump lamented that if Biden had not participated in the debate, he would still be in the race.
The former president's return to Wisconsin, a crucial battleground state he lost to Biden in 2020, indicates his campaign's focus on key swing states. Polling averages show Trump trailing Harris in Wisconsin by a narrow margin, underscoring the importance of his efforts in the region.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris made an appearance at a spice store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she is quietly preparing for her upcoming debate against Trump. She expressed her gratitude for the endorsements of Republican former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter, former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney. Both Cheneys publicly announced their support for Harris, emphasizing the need to prioritize the country over party.
Trump, however, criticized Dick Cheney as an "irrelevant RINO" and criticized Liz Cheney's involvement with the House's Jan. 6 committee. Nonetheless, he did not mention the endorsements during his rally on Saturday.
While addressing his supporters, Trump pledged to create a "government efficiency" commission to streamline the functioning of the government. This idea was first proposed by his ally Elon Musk. Additionally, he vowed to cut federal regulations, promising to eliminate 10 for every new one. Trump also reiterated his call to dismantle the Department of Education.
In typical fashion, the former president deviated from his planned speech. He wrongly stated that his hush-money case sentencing had been delayed until after the election, claiming innocence despite being convicted of 34 felony counts. He also playfully expressed offense over Russian President Vladimir Putin's mock endorsement of Harris and baselessly suggested that Colorado would be overrun by migrants if he did not win the state in November.
As the Harris campaign released new television advertisements highlighting Trump's role in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the former president attempted to navigate the sensitive issue of abortion. Trump acknowledged his appointment of three Supreme Court justices who supported returning abortion matters to individual states and expressed opposition to late-term abortions. However, he also voiced support for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother, stating that he followed his heart on the matter.
While Trump's proposal to modify the 25th Amendment is unlikely to materialize, his rally speech once again exposed the ongoing dynamics of an unconventional political landscape. As the 2024 presidential race looms in the distance, the former president continues to make his mark on the political stage.