Rep Maxine Waters, who is a California Democrat, says it’s about time that the 25th Amendment was invoked against President Trump on Friday.
This is right after citing concerns over his fitness for office, following the removal of the Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
Waters made all of these remarks on MSNBC’s The Weeknight, where she called the president’s actions so dangerous and unconstitutional.
This began a major social media debate online. Ratified in 1967, this was believed to be designed to address any gaps in succession and clarify what happens in those situations of death, resignation, and incapacity. This amendment clarifies that if the president passes away, resigns, or is removed, the vice president would immediately assume the presidency. It also enables the new vice president to get nominated and confirmed if that office becomes vacant.
Notably, this amendment gives a process for the temporary transfer of power if the president voluntarily declares they are unable to serve during the medical procedure.
In some more serious events, it would allow the VP and a majority of Cabinet officials to declare the president unfit and trigger a huge shift in authority.