More than 20 Democratic members of Congress have called for Donald Trump's removal from office under the 25th amendment, citing his mental instability and threats against Iran. The president's recent social media posts, including an Easter Sunday message telling Iran to 'Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell', have sparked alarm. He also warned that a 'whole civilization will die tonight' if Tehran does not agree to a deal on the Strait of Hormuz.
Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan wrote on social media: 'After bombing a school and massacring young girls, the war criminal in the White House is threatening genocide. It's time to invoke the 25th Amendment. This maniac should be removed from office.' Ilhan Omar of Minnesota described Trump as an 'unhinged lunatic', while Mark Pocan of Wisconsin demanded the amendment be invoked 'RIGHT NOW'. They were joined by Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Republican representative turned Trump critic, who wrote: '25TH AMENDMENT!!! Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilization. This is evil and madness.'
Yassamin Ansari, the only Iranian American Democrat in Congress, told the Guardian: 'I am devastated and appalled by the lack of action from Trump's cabinet, from Republicans in Congress who are standing idly by as Donald Trump is threatening genocide, war crimes, and essentially speaking as though he intends to use a nuclear weapon in Iran.' She urged Republicans to 'put party affiliation and blind loyalty to Donald Trump aside and take action immediately to restrain him.'
However, the chances of Trump's cabinet turning against him are close to zero. Few Republicans have voiced dissent, with many in the party supporting the war. Kurt Bardella, a former Republican congressional aide, said: 'The one mechanism that we know could be executed immediately is the 25th amendment. All that's standing in the way of the complete annihilation of a civilisation or not is if there are a dozen or 13 Republicans who have a spine, a soul, a conscience and the fortitude to do what they know is right.'
