White House says impeachment would further divide the country

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Democrats including Pelosi, Schumer call for the VP to invoke the 25th amendment

Lawmakers call for the removal of President Trump from office; constitutional law expert Mark Smith with insight.

The White House is warning that if Democrats proceed with impeaching President Trump, it would divide the country at a time that should be reserved for healing.

"As President Trump said yesterday, this is a time for healing and unity as one Nation," White House spokesman Judd Deere told Fox News on Friday. 

"A politically motivated impeachment against a President, who has done a great job, with 12 days remaining in his term will only serve to further divide our great country."

His comments came as the nation reeled from Wednesday's riots, which resulted in multiple deaths and vandalism at the U.S. Capitol. President Trump and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany both condemned the violence in statements released Thursday.

DEMOCRATS MARCH TOWARD ANOTHER IMPEACHMENT AGAINST TRUMP FOR DEADLY RIOT AT CAPITOL

After the riots, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., both threatened to oust Trump through congressional action.

"Following the President’s dangerous and seditious acts, Republicans in Congress need to ... call on Trump to depart his office – immediately," Pelosi wrote in a letter to her fellow Democrats Friday. "If the President does not leave office imminently and willingly, the Congress will proceed with our action."

Pelosi said in a statement Friday that she is taking the first step toward impeaching the president, notifying the House Rules Committee to be prepared to consider a motion.

She's been backed by a long list of Democrats calling for impeachment and could see a resolution on the issue as early as Monday -- despite Trump only having less than two weeks left of his term.

If successful, Trump would be the first president to be impeached twice. 

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., echoed Deere's comments about the impact of a second impeachment. 

"Impeaching the President with just 12 days left in his term will only divide our country more," McCarthy said Friday in a statement. "I have reached out to President-elect Biden today and plan to speak to him about how we must work together to lower the temperature and unite the country to solve America’s challenges."

Fox News' Marisa Schultz and Matt Leach contributed to this report.