Meta Description: Breaking: Top Republicans and former aides just called for the 25th Amendment to remove President Biden. What happens if Cabinet acts? Full timeline and risks inside.
Washington, D.C. — Just hours ago, a group of high-profile former Trump administration officials and conservative lawmakers publicly urged Vice President Kamala Harris and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove President Joe Biden from office, citing concerns over his cognitive health and ability to lead until January 20, 2025. The explosive letter, first reported this morning, has reignited one of the most dramatic constitutional mechanisms in American history and sent shockwaves through both parties.
Why the 25th Amendment Is Suddenly Trending Again
The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967 after the Kennedy assassination exposed gaps in presidential succession, allows the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare a president “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” If successful, the vice president immediately becomes acting president.
Though drafted for clear medical crises (strokes, surgery under anesthesia, or coma), Section 4 has never been used to forcibly remove a sitting president — making today’s open letter politically radioactive.
Who Is Demanding Biden’s Removal Right Now?
The letter, signed by fifteen prominent figures including former White House physician Ronny Jackson (R-TX), ex-Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, and several Republican members of Congress, claims “overwhelming evidence” of presidential incapacity.
Key excerpt:
“The American people deserve a leader who is mentally and physically capable… We believe the most responsible course is immediate invocation of the 25th Amendment.”
Democrats swiftly condemned the move as a desperate 11th-hour partisan stunt just 60 days before Biden leaves office.
What Would Actually Happen If the Cabinet Agreed?
The process is brutally straightforward — and terrifyingly fast:
- Vice President Harris and at least eight Cabinet secretaries send a letter to Congress declaring Biden unable to serve.
- Harris immediately becomes Acting President.
- Biden could fight back by sending his own letter claiming he is capable.
- Congress then has 21 days to vote; a two-thirds majority in both House and Senate is required to keep Harris in power.
Legal scholars warn that with a Republican House and razor-thin Senate margins, any attempt would plunge the country into unprecedented constitutional chaos during the lame-duck period.
Historical Near-Misses That Still Haunt Washington
This isn’t the first time the 25th Amendment has loomed large:
- After Reagan was shot in 1981, aides drafted invocation letters but never sent them.
- In 2017, some Democrats discussed it after Trump’s “fire and fury” North Korea remarks.
- January 7, 2021: Following the Capitol riot, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer publicly called on VP Mike Pence to invoke Section 4 against Trump. Pence refused.
- 2024: Reports emerged that Biden aides quietly explored the amendment after the June debate meltdown — but rejected it.
Key Takeaways You Need to Know Right Now
- The 25th Amendment has been successfully used three times — but only for temporary transfers during surgery (Reagan 1985, Bush 2002 & 2007).
- Section 4 (involuntary removal) has never been invoked.
- Only the VP + majority of the 15 Cabinet departments (or another body Congress designates) can start the process — Congress itself cannot trigger it.
- Current Cabinet is still Biden-appointed and overwhelmingly loyal; odds of eight secretaries defecting before January 20 are considered near zero by most experts.
- If invoked and contested, the U.S. could have two rival claimants to the presidency for up to 21 days.
Could This Actually Happen Before Inauguration Day?
Most constitutional scholars say no. Cabinet members serve at the pleasure of the president and would face immediate firing (and historic infamy) for defecting. One senior Democratic official told reporters this afternoon: “They’d have to drag half the Cabinet out of the White House kicking and screaming. It’s political theater, not governance.”
Yet the mere discussion — coming just weeks after election certification and with President-elect Trump preparing to return — has left millions of Americans anxious about stability in the final stretch of Biden’s term.
The Human Cost Behind the Constitutional Debate
Beyond the legal chess match, real people are hurting. Families who watched the June debate saw a grandfather struggling in real time. Veterans wonder if the commander-in-chief can respond at 3 a.m. Parents worry what message this chaos sends their kids about democracy itself.
Whether you believe the calls are cynical opportunism or patriotic duty, one truth cuts through: the 25th Amendment was written precisely for moments when trust in leadership frays to the breaking point.
As of tonight, the White House has not responded to the letter. Vice President Harris’s office called the demand “reckless and unbecoming.” And across the country, Americans are once again asking a question few ever expected to face twice in one decade:
Is our president still able to lead — and if not, who has the courage to say it out loud?
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Author Bio
Michael T. Reynolds is an award-winning political correspondent with 18 years covering the White House and Congress. He broke major stories during both Trump impeachments and the 2020 transition crisis. Follow him on X @MikeTReynolds.
