Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation today to establish a commission tasked with evaluating President Donald Trump’s fitness for office under the 25th Amendment. Backed by 50 Democratic co-sponsors, the bill aims to create a 17-member Commission on Presidential Capacity to determine if Trump is mentally or physically incapacitated to discharge his duties.
The move comes amid growing concerns over Trump’s recent behavior, including his threatening rhetoric on the US war with Iran. Raskin highlighted Trump’s social media posts, such as an image depicting himself as Jesus—later clarified by Trump as portraying a doctor—and a prior warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran failed to meet his demands on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Though Trump later announced a two-week ceasefire, the initial threats fueled calls for action.
“Public trust in Donald Trump’s ability to meet the duties of his office has dropped to unprecedented lows as he threatens to destroy entire civilizations and unleashes chaos in the Middle East,” Raskin stated. He emphasized the urgency of congressional oversight during a time of war initiated without congressional consent.
Raskin’s legislation, while a longshot, underscores Democratic efforts to spotlight Trump’s mental stability. The bill mandates a medical examination within 72 hours of adoption, though the mechanism to remove a president via the 25th Amendment faces steep hurdles. It requires the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to declare the president unfit, and if contested by Trump, a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate— a higher bar than impeachment.
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Separately, Raskin also called on the White House physician to conduct a comprehensive cognitive assessment of Trump, citing erratic public statements like an expletive-laden Easter Sunday post on Iran and comments to children at the White House Easter Egg Roll. The White House dismissed the request, with spokesman Davis Ingle calling Raskin’s concerns baseless and praising Trump’s “unmatched energy.”
Republicans, meanwhile, have pushed back hard against the 25th Amendment calls. Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana defended Trump on social media, labeling him one of the nation’s greatest presidents and arguing his actions are making the world safer.
Despite the political divide, Raskin pointed to past Republican scrutiny of former President Joe Biden’s cognitive fitness as precedent for his demands. He noted that House Republicans had subpoenaed Biden’s physician and issued reports on the issue, suggesting bipartisan recognition of presidential capacity as a public concern.
The debate arrives against a backdrop of heightened US-Iran tensions, with Trump’s temporary ceasefire offering little relief to critics. Raskin is set to lead a briefing for House Democrats on the 25th Amendment on April 16, signaling sustained focus on the issue.
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