Former President Donald Trump has voiced his opposition to invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Joe Biden from office, warning that Vice President Kamala Harris would be a "more dangerous" leader. Trump's comments came during a Thursday morning appearance on "Fox & Friends," where he expressed his belief that Harris is "worse than he is" and described her as "real garbage."
"I don't think they should use the 25th Amendment. Not long to go, you know, we have four months now and then he's got another month and a half," Trump said. He then launched into a critique of Harris, labeling her as a "San Francisco radical" and claiming she is "not doing very well."
Trump's criticism extended to Harris' performance during the 2020 Democratic primary debates, where he noted, "I thought he was terrible but she was terrible. She was horrible." He questioned Biden's decision to select Harris as his running mate, recalling, "She was the meanest person up there. She was meaner to [Biden] than anybody else. She accused him of being racist with the buses."
The former president also reacted to Harris' recent remarks where she suggested he was a "predator." Trump responded, "I think it's disgusting," and described Harris as part of a political landscape he considers deeply flawed. "I'd love to be nice, but I'm dealing against real garbage when you hear that," he added.
Trump's comments come on the heels of his and running mate JD Vance's accusations that the Democratic Party is orchestrating a "coup" against Biden. Vance, the Ohio senator, argued on "Primetime" that if Biden is deemed mentally unfit, the 25th Amendment should be invoked to remove him from office. "If it's an actual problem, they should take care of it the appropriate way," Vance stated.
The interview aired just before Biden announced he would withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, endorsing Harris as the presumptive Democratic nominee. This development has sparked a wave of reactions from Republicans, who have been vocal about using the 25th Amendment against Biden.
During a rally in North Carolina, Trump claimed, without evidence, that Biden was pressured by Democratic leaders to step aside or face removal via the 25th Amendment. "The bosses, they said, 'Either you get out, or we're going to throw you out using the 25th Amendment,'" Trump asserted. This claim echoes sentiments from some Republicans who argue Biden should be removed from office due to perceived incompetence.
Despite these claims, the use of the 25th Amendment against Biden remains highly unlikely. The amendment requires the support of the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet, both of whom have consistently expressed their support for Biden's ability to serve. Additionally, a congressional vote requiring a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate would be necessary to permanently remove the president, a scenario deemed improbable given the current political climate.
The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, was designed to address presidential succession and incapacitation, particularly in cases where a president is unable to perform their duties due to severe health issues. Historically, it has been considered in rare and extreme circumstances, such as following President Reagan's assassination attempt in 1981.
Trump's own administration faced discussions of invoking the 25th Amendment after the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos confirmed to USA Today that she and other Cabinet members considered the option but decided against it when then-Vice President Mike Pence declined to support the move.
As Biden prepares to address the nation regarding his decision not to seek re-election, Republicans continue to debate the merits of invoking the 25th Amendment. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders have called for investigations into whether Democrats engaged in misconduct by supporting Biden's candidacy despite concerns over his fitness for office.
Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri has also called on Harris and other Cabinet officials to remove Biden if he refuses to resign. "If President Biden is unwilling to resign, for the sake of our great nation, you must do your duty to relieve him of his constitutional powers and duties," Schmitt wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
