Former President Donald Trump called on Republicans Tuesday morning to use the 25th Amendment, which involves presidential succession in the case the president cannot carry out the powers and duties of the office, claiming a new prisoner swap deal with Iran shows that President Joe Biden is “incompetent.”
On Monday, the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Biden administration revealed to Congress it had moved forward with a controversial deal with Iran for the release of five detained Americans in exchange for the unfreezing of $6 billion.
The move was quickly criticized by many on the Right. Trump chimed in on Tuesday morning, writing on Truth Social: “So, lets get this straight! We did a hostage TRADE with Iran. We gave them 5 very tough, smart people that they desperately wanted. We likewise got back 5 people BUT, we also gave them 6 BILLION DOLLARS!”
“How much of a kickback does Crooked Joe Biden get? Does anyone realize how much money 6 Billion Dollars is? When I was President, I got back 58 hostages for ZERO money. Remember Pastor Brunson? It sets a TERRIBLE precedent. Republicans, call out the 25th Amendment, NOW! Biden is INCOMPETENT!” he said.
After the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in 2021, before Biden’s swearing-in, Trump dismissed talk of the 25th Amendment being used against him.
“The 25th Amendment is of zero risk to me, but will come back to haunt Joe Biden and the Biden administration,” Trump said at the time. “As the expression goes, be careful what you wish for.”
The White House did not provide comment to the Washington Examiner.
The 25th Amendment was ratified in 1967, prompted due to concerns over presidential succession following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The amendment was used in the 1970s when President Richard Nixon nominated Gerald Ford to succeed Vice President Spiro Agnew, who resigned in 1973. Then, when Nixon resigned in 1974, Ford succeeded him and later nominated Nelson Rockefeller to fill the role of vice president.
Under the sections that stipulate the chain of events when a president is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush made use of the amendment. Both men used the amendment to transfer power to their vice presidents for a period of hours while they underwent colon procedures under anesthesia.