Pelosi takes initial step toward trying to remove Trump

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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced Friday night she will begin to steps to remove President Trump if he does not resign for his role in the breach on the U.S. Capitol earlier this week.

Pelosi instructed the Rules Committee to be prepared to consider legislation constructed by Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., which would create a body and process called for in Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, she said.

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Section 4 says that the vice president, along with either a majority of the president’s cabinet, or a "body as Congress may by law provide," has the ability to remove a sitting president if all parties find he is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."

The vice president would then immediately assume the role of Acting President of the United States.

But Pelosi did not say how far she would carry the process forward.

"It is the hope of Members that the President will immediately resign," Pelosi said in a statement. "But if he does not, I have instructed the Rules Committee to be prepared to move forward with Congressman Jamie Raskin’s 25th Amendment legislation and a motion for impeachment.  Accordingly, the House will preserve every option – including the 25th Amendment, a motion to impeach or a privileged resolution for impeachment."

A source in Vice President Mike Pence’s office has confirmed for Fox News that he is not planning on invoking the powers of the 25th Amendment, nor does Trump have any intention of resigning. 

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Pelosi's statement was made after a lengthy discussion by House Democrats.

"Today, the House Democratic Caucus had an hours-long conversation that was sad, moving and patriotic," Pelosi said. "It was a conversation unlike any other, because it followed an action unlike any other."

Democrats and Republicans have called for the removal of Trump from office either through his resignation, the powers of the 25th Amendment, or impeachment.

Trump was already impeached once in the House on Dec. 18, 2019, but was acquitted in the Senate.  

Though it is likely there would be enough support to impeach him for a second time in the House, it is unclear if there would be enough support to convict him in the Senate.

The president has seen long-time allies turn away from him following his conduct during the Wednesday raid by pro-Trump supporters on the Capitol.

Trump refrained from condemning the violent breach of the Legislative stronghold for nearly an hour, instead he condemned Pence for his refusal to object the Electoral College results – a stance the vice president is not constitutionally able to take.

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Trump eventually asked his supporters to "remain peaceful" but later praised them as "patriots" – five people were killed in the riots, including one Capitol Police officer.