Democrats float 25th Amendment commission for Trump
Democrats in Congress are moving to invoke the 25th Amendment against President Donald Trump, introducing a bill Tuesday that would create a commission to assess whether he is fit to remain in office.
The bill, led by House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, and backed by 50 Democratic co‑sponsors, would establish a 17‑member panel authorized under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment.
Supporters argue the move is driven by national security concerns following Trump’s recent social media posts threatening escalation with Iran, though the proposal faces long odds in a Republican‑controlled Congress.
“We are at a dangerous precipice, and it is now a matter of national security for Congress to fulfill its responsibilities under the 25th Amendment to protect the American people from an increasingly volatile and unstable situation,” Raskin said in a press release.
Even if the bill were to advance, its passage is unlikely, and Trump could veto the measure if it cleared both chambers.
How would the 25th Amendment commission work?
The proposed commission would be composed of 17 members. According to the bill’s text, the Senate Majority and Minority leaders, the House Speaker and the House Minority Leader will each appoint two members.
Then, Democrats and Republicans will each appoint four former “high-ranking executive branch officials,” bringing the total to 16. Those members will then vote to appoint another person, either a high-ranking former official or physician, to serve as chair.
According to the bill, the findings of the panel would have the power to temporarily remove Trump only if Vice President JD Vance signed off on them.
What is the 25th Amendment?
The 25th Amendment outlines how presidential power transfers in cases of death, resignation, removal or inability to serve. In those situations, the vice president is next in line to assume the president’s powers and duties.
Section 4 allows the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet, or another body created by Congress, to declare the president unable to perform the job. The vice president then immediately takes over. The president can challenge the move, but if it is reaffirmed within four days, Congress decides the outcome, requiring a two‑thirds vote in both chambers to keep the vice president in power.
A 2018 Congressional Research Service report said that in a modern scenario, the majority of current or acting heads of 15 Cabinet positions would need to agree with the vice president to invoke the 25th Amendment.
USA Today’s Mary Walrath-Holdridge contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA Today. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA Today
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