Former CIA Director Claims 25th Amendment Designed for Trump-Like Leaders
Former CIA director John Brennan has declared that the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provides a mechanism for removing a president deemed unfit for office, was explicitly crafted with figures like Donald Trump "in mind." Brennan's remarks come amid escalating bipartisan calls for President Trump's removal following his inflammatory rhetoric toward Iran.
Brennan's Scathing Assessment of Presidential Fitness
During an interview with Ali Velshi on MS NOW, Brennan delivered a blistering critique of Trump's leadership. He asserted that U.S. intelligence assessments presented to the president regarding Iran's potential responses to military action had proven accurate. According to Brennan, only Trump's "narcissism and megalomania" prevented him from heeding these warnings.
"I think the 25th Amendment was written with Donald Trumps in mind," Brennan stated emphatically. "Allowing someone like this to continue as commander-in-chief, with control over the U.S. military's tremendous capabilities including our nuclear arsenal, which he seemed to reference when threatening to eliminate an entire civilization... We really are in very, very troubling times."
Trump's Provocative Iran Threats Spark Constitutional Debate
The controversy stems from Trump's increasingly aggressive statements regarding Iran and the strategic Strait of Hormuz. On Easter Sunday, the president took to Truth Social with an expletive-laden message demanding Tehran reopen the strait, warning: "Open the F***in' Strait, you crazy b******s, or you'll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah."
This was followed days later by an even more alarming threat that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back" if Iran failed to comply with U.S. demands. These statements shocked many conservatives, including devout Christian supporters, particularly given their timing on a religious holiday.
Broadening Calls for Presidential Removal
Brennan is far from alone in suggesting the 25th Amendment might be appropriate. Congressional Democrats, along with surprising voices from the right including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Candace Owens, and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones have all recently called for Trump's removal.
"How do we 25th Amendment his ass?" Jones asked on his InfoWars program last Monday, reflecting widespread unease about Trump's conduct as the Iran conflict enters its sixth week.
Volatile Presidential Behavior Amid International Crisis
The situation has been marked by dramatic swings in presidential temperament. After Pakistan mediated an 11th-hour ceasefire that averted threatened U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure, Trump proclaimed "a new Golden Age of the Middle East." However, when subsequent peace talks led by Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad failed, Trump threatened a U.S. Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – a move Tehran condemns as piracy.
This week began with Trump embroiled in another controversy, this time involving Pope Leo XIV, and posting a meme depicting himself as Jesus Christ healing the sick. This follows similar blasphemy accusations last May when he suggested he should have succeeded Pope Francis.
Public Opinion and Practical Obstacles to Removal
Even before these recent developments, polling indicated majority confusion about the rationale for Operation Epic Fury and opposition to ground troop deployment, contradicting Trump's campaign promise to end "forever wars." Many Americans expressed greater concern about the cost-of-living crisis, which the conflict has exacerbated through spiking oil prices.
Despite growing calls for Trump's removal, practical implementation of the 25th Amendment faces significant hurdles. Removal would require Vice President Vance and a majority of the 16-member cabinet to jointly declare the president unfit – unlikely given Trump's appointment of loyalists throughout his administration.
An alternative path involving a congressional disability review panel would need presidential approval or, if vetoed, two-thirds support in both House and Senate – another improbable scenario given current political divisions.
Historical Context and Ongoing Concerns
Brennan, who led the CIA during Barack Obama's second term after serving as Homeland Security secretary, has long been a Trump critic. The president's congressional allies referred Brennan to the Justice Department in October over the "Russiagate" investigation.
As the constitutional debate intensifies, Brennan's stark warning underscores deepening concerns about presidential stability during international crisis: "We really are in very, very troubling times."
