Trump Says He’s at ‘Zero’ Risk of Removal Under 25th Amendment
Trump Says He’s at ‘Zero’ Risk of Removal Under 25th Amendment
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said he’s not at risk of being removed from office after encouraging supporters who went on to attack the U.S. Capitol last week -- but warned that Democrats’ efforts to oust him could backfire on President-elect Joe Biden.
“The 25th Amendment is of zero risk to me but will come back to haunt Joe Biden and the Biden administration,” Trump said Tuesday near Alamo, Texas, referring to a constitutional amendment that lays out a process for the president’s cabinet to remove him. He didn’t elaborate.
Democrats have called for Trump to be removed from office after last Wednesday’s riot that left five people dead including a Capitol Police officer. The incident led to major social media platforms banning him and set in motion plans in the House to impeach him again.
“The impeachment hoax is a continuation of the greatest and most vicious witch hunt in the history of our country and is causing tremendous anger and division and pain, far greater than most people will ever understand, which is very dangerous for the USA, especially at this very tender time,” Trump said in remarks next to a section of his signature border wall.
Vice President Mike Pence was initially furious at Trump after hundreds of the president’s supporters breached the Capitol, disrupting the count of Electoral College votes and causing the vice president and lawmakers to flee the House and Senate chambers.
Democrats have urged Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, which allows the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to remove the president from office. Pence, though, signaled he wouldn’t seek to oust Trump after they met on Monday at the White House, the first time the two had spoken since the episode.
Pence has privately dismissed the idea as not feasible, according to one person familiar with the matter.
In their meeting, Pence and Trump agreed to work together for the remainder of their term, according to a senior administration official. The discussion added to indications that Trump has no plans to resign before Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
House Democrats are seeking to hold Trump accountable for the riot if Pence fails to act against the president. Lawmakers pushed forward Tuesday with their plans to impeach Trump for a second time, introducing a resolution accusing Trump of “incitement of an insurrection.”
As he’s done with visits to other sections of the wall, Trump signed it on Tuesday in Alamo. His trip was ostensibly part of his efforts to tout what he considers to be his biggest accomplishments with eight days until Biden’s inauguration.
Tuesday’s event was staged like a rally. Trump’s normal campaign soundtrack played from loudspeakers and a giant American flag was flown. But the only attendees were border personnel, who mostly sat silently and shifted in their seats throughout Trump’s remarks, which lasted about 22 minutes.
At the conclusion, the Village People’s “YMCA” blared on the speakers, the signature ending to his 2020 campaign rallies where Trump would linger on stage, pumping his fists and dancing to adoring crowds. On Tuesday, Trump simply walked off stage and into his vehicle before the first refrain.
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