When a president is unfit for office, here’s what the Constitution says can happen

Key Points:

• Bipartisan calls for President Donald Trump’s removal from office escalated on April 7, 2026, following his threats to destroy “a whole civilization” if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with critics from both left and right expressing concern over his escalating rhetoric and erratic behavior.
• The 25th Amendment provides a constitutional mechanism for removing a president deemed unable to discharge the duties of office, involving the vice president and Cabinet, but it has never been invoked against a president’s will and requires a complex process including congressional approval by a two-thirds majority.
• Impeachment, authorized under Article II of the Constitution, allows Congress to remove a president for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors,” starting with the House Judiciary Committee and requiring a two-thirds Senate vote to convict and remove from office.
• If impeached and removed, the Senate may also vote to disqualify the individual from holding future federal office, with a simple majority required for this additional penalty, a provision that some lawmakers have pledged to include in any potential impeachment resolution against Trump.
• While impeachment and removal are constitutionally established checks on presidential power, the process is politically challenging and has never resulted in the removal of a U.S. president, highlighting the significant hurdles facing efforts to oust Trump.