Scott McConnell, a conservative political commentator, has said that Vice President JD Vance should consider removing Donald Trump from office as criticism grows over the United States’ role in the Iran war.
Trump, who was first elected in 2016, returned to the White House after winning the 2024 election. But many critics now believe his actions in the Middle East are making tensions worse, with some even warning that the situation could lead to a much bigger global conflict.
According to Iran’s Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian, speaking to Al Jazeera, the war has already caused heavy damage, with at least 1,937 people killed and nearly 25,000 injured.
Trump has defended his actions, saying the goal is to stop threats from the Iranian government and prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He has also pushed Iran to negotiate and even demanded what he called an “unconditional surrender.”
In response, McConnell has suggested that Vance should use the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This law allows a vice president, together with most of the president’s cabinet, to declare that the president is unable to do the job. If that happens, the vice president would step in and take over as acting president.
Writing on social media, McConnell advised Vance to publicly support using the amendment and explain to the public why he believes it is necessary. He also suggested that Chris Murphy could become vice president in such a situation, describing him as someone who is strongly against war.
The 25th Amendment has been used before, but only in temporary situations, such as when a president is undergoing medical treatment. It has never been used to permanently remove a sitting president from power.
There has also been discussion about whether Trump could ever serve another term in the future. The 22nd Amendment says a person can only be elected president twice. However, it does not completely block someone from becoming president again through other legal paths.
For example, the 12th Amendment allows the House of Representatives to choose the president if no candidate wins enough electoral votes. The 20th Amendment explains what happens if a president is not chosen in time or cannot take office.
Another way someone can become president is through succession. If a president dies, resigns, or is removed, the vice president automatically takes over. This rule is also clearly confirmed in the 25th Amendment, which says the vice president becomes president if the current president can no longer serve.
