Kick Trump out – or we’ll impeach him
Democrats put President on spot – and he’s set to play golf while Biden’s sworn in
DONALD Trump’s rivals last night delivered a stark ultimatum – either he is removed from power over the weekend or they will move to impeach him next week.
The ‘ unhinged President could not be more dangerous’ said Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as she sought assurances from America’s top military officer about preventing Mr Trump from waging war or launching a nuclear strike during his final days in power.
Senior Democrats said impeachment could come as early as Monday, unless Vice President Mike Pence and other
‘Everyone knows he is deranged’
members of the cabinet kick him out of the White House.
It came as Mr Trump confirmed he would not attend Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Sources said he will spend the day at his Florida golf resort after vacating the White House a day early on January 19.
Mr Biden last night condemned him as ‘the most incompetent President in the history of the United States of America’.
The President- elect added: ‘He has exceeded even my worst notions about him. He’s been an embarrassment for the country. He’s not worthy to hold the office.’
He said his rival’s refusal to attend the inauguration is ‘a good thing’.
However, Mr Biden will not get involved in any attempts to remove his bitter rival.
But California Democrat Mrs Pelosi has vowed to forge ahead with impeachment unless the President quits ‘immediately’.
James Clyburn, another top Democrat, said: ‘Everyone knows that this President is deranged.’
Charging Mr Trump with bringing his office into disrepute, after he whipped up a mob that stormed the Capitol building in Washington DC, would make him the only president to be impeached twice.
But advisers last night said the chances of Mr Trump quitting were ‘zero’ because he ‘doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong’.
Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark said: ‘Donald Trump needs to be removed from office and we are going to proceed with every tool we have to make sure that happens to protect our democracy.’ Mr Trump could either be ousted by Congress impeaching him or by Mr Pence and at least half of his cabinet deciding to oust him under the 25th amendment of the US constitution.
Mr Pence is reportedly against the latter idea, despite his boss turning on him. But senior Trump allies, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, are understood to have discussed it.
One Republican insider described Mr Trump as now behaving like ‘mad King George’. With less than two weeks left of his presidency, few believe there is time to remove him before his rival’s inauguration on January 20.
Another option, say some legal experts, would be to impeach Mr Trump after he has vacated the White House – with a view to stopping him from running again for President, as he has threatened.
Despite a call for national unity in a carefully scripted video on Thursday, Mr Trump reverted to type yesterday and said: ‘To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the inauguration.’
Only a handful of US presidents have missed the swearing in of their successors.
After being banned from Twitter for 12 hours, Mr Trump returned to the site to write: ‘The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!’