• Source:JND

US President Donald Trump has been heavily criticised following his Easter Sunday announcement of an ultimatum to Iran, which has sent shockwaves through Congress concerning whether the President could be removed from office pursuant to the 25th Amendment. 

The post on TruthSocial featured graphic threats against Iran and established a deadline of the following Tuesday, along with severe consequences if the President’s demands were not met regarding the Strait of Hormuz. This ultimatum prompted outcry from political leaders, and many called for Congress to take action, whether through impeachment or by the invocation of Constitutional provisions.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fin Strait, you crazy b***s, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” Trump wrote in the post.

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In addition, the controversy has caused an increase in activity on the prediction market Kalshi, where users have begun speculating on whether or not Congress will invoke the 25th Amendment. Kalshi trading data shows a growing number of users believe cabinet-level members will try to declare the President unfit to serve.

The President issued an ultimatum to Iran to allow US vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz by 8 pm ET on the day specified in the ultimatum; military action may be utilised. The ultimatum occurs during ongoing tensions in the Middle East, and as there have been reports that Israeli aircraft have engaged in airstrikes against Iranian energy infrastructure, raising concerns over possible escalation between the two countries. 

Lawmakers are reacting negatively towards the President’s ultimatum.

What is the 25th Amendment?

The 25th Amendment is a constitutional process for succession to the office of President of the United States and a means to remove the President from power if they are incapable of performing their duties as President under section 4. This is done when the Vice President and the majority of his Cabinet determine that the President has become unfit to perform his duties. 

If an agreement cannot be reached between Congress and the Senate, Congress will make a final decision on the President's ability to perform his duties, whether it is by a vote of two-thirds in both houses of Congress. The process has never before been utilised to remove the President while in office, however.

“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 (D, Conn) wrote in a X post.

“Even blowing up a fraction [of Iran’s bridges and power plants] will kill thousands of innocent people who work in those power plants and travel on the nation’s roads. That’s also a war crime,” Murphy stated in a subsequent post. 

ALSO READ: Iran Claims US Airman Rescue Op A Cover For ‘Uranium Theft Plot’ In Isfahan; Peace Proposal Reply Ready

“And for what? To force Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, WHICH WAS OPEN BEFORE TRUMP STARTED BOMBING IRAN??? This is pure insanity. It won’t work. It will just permanently stain America. GOP leaders should call Congress back into session this week to end this war,” he wrote.

President Trump's Health

Currently, there is a resurgence of online speculation surrounding the health of President Trump; the White House has refuted these accusations and stated he is capable of fulfilling presidential duties and has a healthy family history to prove it.

The incident concerning the 25th Amendment is merely one more in a long list of political challenges faced by President Trump; he has been impeached two times by the House of Representatives and acquitted twice by the Senate in the past two years of his presidency.


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