Pelosi calls on Pence, cabinet to remove Trump under 25th Amendment

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, on Thursday called for Vice President Mike Pence and the cabinet of President Donald Trump to remove Trump from office via the 25th Amendment or the House may impeach him again following the storming of the U.S. Capitol by many of his supporters a day earlier.

At least twice in talking to reporters Thursday afternoon from Washington, D.C., Pelosi called the president dangerous. She hopes to hear from Pence later Thursday.

Trump allegedly incited a mob to enter the Capitol Wednesday as both chambers of Congress were working to certify the Electoral College vote that eventually confirmed Joseph Biden as president over Trump following the November election.

Of Trump, Pelosi said:

“This man is deadly for our democracy and our people.”

She added:

“I think he’s a very dangerous man.”

She called the people who entered the Capitol “Trump thugs” and said they performed “acts of sedition and cowardice” on Wednesday. She called the actions an “attempted coup.”

“We are a country of law,” Pelosi said, not a monarchy with a king.

Trump has 13 days left in office before Biden’s inauguration, but Pelosi thinks that he must be removed immediately because he is a danger to the country.

Pence must take the lead to remove Trump from office via the 25th Amendment, which allows for the president’s removal based on his inability to govern, Pelosi said.

A majority of the president’s cabinet and the vice president must agree that Trump is unfit for office to remove him. If the president then disputes his inability to govern, the decision would go to Congress with two-thirds majorities needed in both houses to remove him.

Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who she said wants to undermine democracy, Pelosi said:

“A complete tool of Putin is what this president is.”

In her talk, Pelosi said there was a failure of leadership in the top ranks of the U.S. Capitol Police, which was responsible for ensuring the safety of congressional leaders Wednesday.

Four people died in or near the Capitol on Wednesday, including a woman shot by police inside the building. No congressional leaders or staff were reported hurt.

Pelosi demanded that U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund resign and said he has apparently done so. She commended many of the officers of the U.S. Capitol Police, saying they acted bravely.