Apparently high-ranking members of the US administration are considering removing Donald Trump.
This would be possible thanks to the amendment to the US constitution.
Threatens
Donald Trump
another impeachment proceedings in the next few days?
Several
Democrats
and a few
Republicans
have spoken out in favor of such a move - but it could be a long one.
Vice-President
Mike Pence
would play an important role, but he does not seem to have such aspirations despite a rift between him and the President
(see update from January 8, 9:32 a.m.)
.
This
news ticker
is updated regularly.
Update from January 8, 7:08 p.m.:
The
US Democrats
apparently fear a
nuclear strike
in the last days of office of
President Donald Trump
.
Nancy Pelosi
has
consulted
with the
US Armed Forces
leadership
to prevent "an unstable
president from
initiating military operations or accessing the kill codes and ordering a nuclear strike,"
the US House Chairwoman wrote
in a letter to the
US
on Friday Democratic MPs declared.
Elected Republican Donald Trump "couldn't be more dangerous and we must do everything in our power to protect the people of America" and to protect democracy, Pelosi said.
She reiterated the readiness of the US Congress to "act" if Trump does not resign "immediately and voluntarily" or is
declared incapacitated
by
Vice President Mike Pence
and the cabinet.
Trump before immediate impeachment: Deep break with pence - but that probably saves him from final disgrace
Update from January 8, 10:40 a.m.:
The
designated
US President Joe Biden
does not seem to have any great ambition to impeach
Donald Trump
from the White House shortly before the end of his term in office.
At least that's what CNN reports, citing anonymous sources.
Accordingly, Biden would rather concentrate on taking office in twelve days.
This is how he seems to think about the 25th Amendment to the Constitution
(see update from January 7th, 8:27 pm)
.
"
Impeachment
would not help to unite this country," said a person from Biden's circle, according to CNN.
"This is a matter for Congress to decide," it said.
Does Donald Trump have to leave before January 20th?
Reluctance from Mike Pence
Update from January 8, 9:32 a.m.:
Apparently,
US Vice President Mike Pence
refuses
to use the 25th amendment to the constitution and to
remove
US President Donald Trump
prematurely from office.
Business Insider
and the
New York Times
unanimously
report this
.
+
Trump and Pence: Despite falling loyalty, the vice seems to reject an impeachment procedure
© ALMOND NGAN / AFP
"That won't happen,"
Business Insider
quotes
a
Republican
and confidante of
Pence
.
There are two reasons for
Pence's
reluctance: On the one hand, he and his team are worried that an
impeachment process
will bring even more chaos to the country.
On the other hand, he is considered a potential
US Republican presidential candidate
for 2024 - and does
not want to endanger
his chances for the
office
.
Pence
therefore has several
Trump cabinet members
behind him
in the decision
.
When he will tell Congress that he will not
initiate
impeachment
is
still unclear
, according to the
New York Times
.
Trump's education minister resigns - and addresses him in a letter
Update from January 8, 6.45 a.m.:
The support for
Donald Trump
in his own cabinet is decreasing.
Education Minister Betsy DeVos has
now also announced
her resignation.
In a letter to the president published by several US media outlets, she accused him of joint responsibility for the outbreak of violence.
It cannot be misunderstood that his “rhetoric” had influenced the situation in the US capital, she wrote.
The wave of resignations continues.
Trump before impeachment: Pelosi explains procedure - deep break between pence and president
Update from January 7, 8:27 p.m.:
Now
Nancy Pelosi is
also calling for
the
immediate removal of US President Donald Trump
.
She calls on incumbent US Vice President
Mike Pence
to
seek impeachment
on the basis of Amendment 25 of the US Constitution, according to the Democratic Chairwoman of the House of Representatives.
Trump is dangerous and should no longer remain in office.
"This is urgent,"
she added.
Amendment 25 of the Constitution allows the President to be declared "incapable of exercising the rights and duties of office".
Such a declaration must be made by the Vice-President and a majority of key cabinet members and then reported to Congress.
If the President objects, the Senate and House of Representatives must approve the impeachment with a two-thirds majority.
It would take large sections of the Republican Party in Congress to achieve these majorities.
Trump before impeachment: next resignation - Minister of Transport leaves
Meanwhile, the resignation series in the government of the elected US President Donald Trump continues after the unrest in Washington:
Transport Minister Elaine Chao said on Thursday that she was stepping down because of the storm of militant Trump supporters on the Capitol.
The storming of the Capitol after a speech by the president was "a traumatic and absolutely avoidable event," said Chao. "It upset me deeply and in a way that I simply cannot ignore."
Chao is married to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
McConnell had already distanced himself clearly from Trump on Wednesday at the congressional session to confirm the election victory of Joe Biden.
Trump before impeachment: deep break with Mike Pence?
Update from January 7, 6:20 p.m.:
The exchange of
blows
between
Donald Trump
and his
Vice Mike Pence
apparently continues.
After Pence refused to
comply - and probably could not at all -
a request by Trump to
prevent
Joe Biden from being confirmed
as president, there are now further reports that indicate a deep rift between the two powerful US men.
As the daily newspaper
Tulsa World
claims to have learned from an MP who is friendly with Pence, the Vice President is said to have said.
“After everything I've done for him”.
The
Republican Jim Inhofe has
known Pence for a long time, but has "never seen him as angry as he is today".
It is therefore highly questionable whether the statesmen will be able to get closer before Trump's end of office.
Impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump?
Republican Adam Kinziger calls for 25th amendment
More than 100
Democratic MPs
have already spoken out in favor of an early end to Trump's term of office after the scandal night in Washington.
According to an NBC report, this is already being discussed internally.
However, it is not known which MPs are calling for the tough step.
However, faction leader
Chuck Schumer
said: “What happened at the Capitol yesterday was an uprising against the United States, spurred on by the President.
He shouldn't stay in office one day longer, ”he is
quoted
by
CNBC
as saying.
Even in the wider camp of his own party, Trump seems to be losing more and more confidence.
The Republican
Adam Kinzinger published
a statement in which he called for the
25th Amendment to
the Constitution to be enforced.
If the incumbent is no longer able to carry out the presidential job, he can be removed from office.
It's with a heavy heart I am calling for the sake of our Democracy that the 25th Amendment was invoked.
My statement: pic.twitter.com/yVyQrYcjuD
- Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) January 7, 2021
Kinzinger calls on the Vice President and Cabinet to ensure that the coming weeks ensure safety for the
American people
.
The USA would “rise” from yesterday night, but it should not be forgotten what led to the “disaster”.
"The president caused this, the president is not doing well and the president must now voluntarily - or involuntarily - relinquish control."
Shortly before the end of the term of office: own cabinet is considering removing Trump - that could have massive consequences
Update from January 7, 2021, 10:33 a.m.:
In the meantime, the
US Congress has confirmed Joe Biden
as the new
US President
.
Vice President Mike Pence
officially declared him the election winner.
Even
Trump
is now giving up, even if he continues to rail against the election: "Although I absolutely disagree with the result of the election and the facts confirm me, there will still be an orderly transition on January 20th".
Whether his
Cabinet
now still for a
dismissal
decision is questionable.
In two weeks his successor will be sworn in anyway.
However, an
impeachment
shortly before the end of his term in office could also be an important decision for the future.
There has been speculation for a long time that Trump could run again in four years.
In the
impeachment
is a two step process.
It will not only be decided whether the incumbent
president will be
removed from office, but also whether he will be allowed to hold public office in the future.
According to
Deutsche Welle,
the
Senate
would
first have to decide separately that
Trump
may no longer run in the future.
A two-thirds majority in the Senate is required for both decisions.
Two weeks before the end of the term of office: own cabinet is considering removing Trump - President "out of control"
First report from January 7, 2021:
Washington DC - As the TV stations CNN, CBS and ABC unanimously report, high-ranking members of the outgoing
US administration
want to
discuss the possible removal of
President Donald Trump *
by his own
cabinet
.
The riots on Wednesday are likely to cause a rethink.
After a speech by Trump *, many of his supporters stormed the Capitol *.
Four people died.
Impeachment: will Trump be removed from office?
His own cabinet could disempower him
The
additional article to the US constitution "25th Amendment"
, which basically allows the cabinet to overthrow the president, is the basis of their considerations.
The prerequisite is that the President is “unable” to exercise the duties and powers of the office.
Certain criteria for this are not defined.
This basically means physical or mental impairments.
According to CNN, anonymous Republican leaders said
Trump *
was "out of control".
Former President George W. Bush also heavily criticized the situation.
Does Mike Pence topple Donald Trump?
Relationship seems to be crumbling
Trump's deputy
Mike Pence
should support the initiative.
According to the
constitutional amendment
, the vice president must lead the cabinet vote to disempower the president.
Pence has been loyal to Trump for the past four years.
However, their relationship now also seems to be crumbling.
Trump
had demanded that he prevent the
US Congress from certifying the election result
.
However, the Vice President announced in a letter that he would not comply with Donald Trump's wishes.
In a tweet that has now been deleted, the president accused him of lacking courage.
The
Democrats
in the House of Representatives also wrote
a letter to
Mike
Pence to urge
Donald Trump
to prematurely overthrow
Donald Trump
through his own government.
The elected president had incited a riot and "tried to undermine our democracy," wrote the democratic members of the judiciary committee.
Trump is "mentally not healthy" and unable to "process and accept" the election result.
(md)
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network
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