Democrats Push to Invoke 25th Amendment After Trump's Iran Threat, But One Senator Calls Effort 'Not Realistic'

Congressional Democrats demand Trump's removal, but a key lawmaker says the move faces high hurdles with his Cabinet and Republican support.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 7:27pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A moody, cinematic painting of a dimly lit government office at night, with a lone desk lamp casting warm, diagonal shadows across the room, conceptually representing the political uncertainty and high stakes surrounding efforts to remove a president from power.As partisan tensions escalate, the prospect of invoking the 25th Amendment to remove a sitting president remains a politically fraught and legally uncertain path forward.Des Moines Today

Dozens of congressional Democrats are calling for the use of the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office after he made a threatening post on Truth Social about Iran, but one senator says the effort is 'not realistic' given the high bar for invoking the amendment and the makeup of Trump's Cabinet.

Why it matters

The 25th Amendment has never been used to involuntarily remove a sitting president, and doing so would require support from Vice President JD Vance and a majority of Trump's Cabinet, as well as a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress - a much higher bar than impeachment. Democrats argue Trump's mental state and recent comments are proof he can no longer fulfill his duties, but Republicans have remained largely silent on the issue.

The details

Several congressional Democrats, including Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, are pushing to invoke the 25th Amendment after Trump declared on Truth Social that a 'whole civilization will die tonight' unless his demands to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are met. However, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island says the effort is 'not realistic' given Trump's 'oddball Cabinet of sycophants and eccentrics' and the lack of Republican support. Doing so would require Vice President JD Vance and a majority of Trump's Cabinet to agree to remove him, which they have shown no indication of doing.

  • On April 7, 2026, President Trump made the threatening post about Iran on Truth Social.
  • In the days following, dozens of congressional Democrats began calling for the use of the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.

The players

President Donald Trump

The current President of the United States who made the threatening post about Iran on Truth Social.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

A Democratic senator from Rhode Island who says invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump is 'not realistic' given the makeup of Trump's Cabinet and lack of Republican support.

Sen. Chris Murphy

A Democratic senator from Connecticut who is among the lawmakers calling for the use of the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.

Vice President JD Vance

The current Vice President who would need to agree with a majority of Trump's Cabinet to remove the President from office under the 25th Amendment.

Sen. Joni Ernst

A Republican senator from Iowa who said she does not believe Trump's administration would be carrying out a war crime by targeting power supply and bridges in Iran.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm getting a lot of traffic about the 25th Amendment after Trump's mad rants. The president is facing serious mental decline; I'm with you on that. But unfortunately, invoking the 25th is not realistic right now, given his oddball Cabinet of sycophants and eccentrics, and Republican 'spines of foam'. We're going to have to buckle down and win this the old-fashioned way.”

— Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Democratic Senator from Rhode Island

“If I were in Trump's Cabinet, I would spend Easter calling constitutional lawyers about the 25th Amendment. This is completely, utterly unhinged. He's already killed thousands. He's going to kill thousands more.”

— Sen. Chris Murphy, Democratic Senator from Connecticut

“No, it's an ongoing operation, and if he needs leverage, he's using that leverage.”

— Sen. Joni Ernst, Republican Senator from Iowa

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.