Published 00:54 IST, January 9th 2021
Trump faces second impeachment threat for 'incitement of insurrection' in US Capitol Siege
Along with the Democrats, at least one Senate Republican has also said that he would consider supporting possible efforts by lawmakers to impeach Trump
Following the horrific riots at the US Capitol on Wednesday, outgoing President Donald Trump faces a threat of a second impeachment as Democrats seek routes to strip his powers early. Top Democratic leadership has urged Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution to remove Trump from office for his "incitement of insurrection".
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that she has spoken to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding available precautions for preventing an “unstable President” from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike.
Along with the Democrats, at least one Senate Republican has also said that he would consider supporting a possible effort by congressional Democrats to impeach Trump. While speaking to CBS News, Ben Sasse said that he would "definitely consider" any article of impeachment because the president "disregarded his oath of office".
Trump is set to leave on January 20 when Democrat President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated. Even with just days left for his term to end, Democrats are discussing whether to act quickly to impeach Trump as soon as next week if his Cabinet doesn’t first try to remove him after he encouraged his supporters to ransack the Capitol building in a siege that has left five people dead. The US President, on the other hand, has denounced the violence but calls have mounted for Trump to be removed.
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, in a joint statement, said that the President’s "dangerous and seditious acts necessitate his immediate removal from the office". The two added that they look forward to hearing from Pence as soon as possible and to receiving a positive answer as to whether he and the Cabinet will honour their oath to the Constitution and the American people. Further, Pelosi even said that Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment should the Vice President and Cabinet not invoke the 25th Amendment which allows for the President to be removed from office by the Vice President's majority cabinet.
Trump admin. officials resign
Moreover, leaders including Ted Lieu, David Cicilline, Jamie Raskin, and Ilhan Omar have drafted articles of impeachment. The resolution cites Trump’s interaction with the rally in Washington DC on January 6. They suggest that the President’s statements encouraged the chaos that unfolded, as Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol.
Numerous senior Trump administration officials have also resigned in protest over the invasion of the Capitol, including two Cabinet members - Elaine Chao, the transportation secretary, and Betsy DeVos, the education secretary. With Trump's term almost expired, it is still not clear whether there would be enough time to complete the impeachment process. However, leaders are discussing options for his removal as Trump first encouraged rally-goers near the White House to march on the Capitol, then refused to condemn the assault and appeared to excuse it.
Updated 00:54 IST, January 9th 2021