Calls for President Donald Trump’s removal from office intensified after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer publicly urged immediate action, accusing Trump of inciting violence and failing to protect democratic institutions following the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

Schumer said Trump should be removed either through the invocation of the 25th Amendment or through impeachment, arguing that the president is unfit to remain in office. His remarks come just weeks before President-elect Joe Biden’s scheduled inauguration, amplifying the urgency of congressional action.

Formal Impeachment Resolutions Filed

Behind the scenes, lawmakers are not merely issuing statements. Multiple impeachment resolutions have been formally filed in the House of Representatives, most notably House Resolution 939, introduced by Representative Al Green.

HRES 939 lays out detailed allegations against Trump, including abuse of presidential power, incitement of violence against lawmakers, threats to members of Congress and federal judges, and actions that lawmakers argue undermine democratic institutions. The resolution asserts that failing to address such conduct could result in long-term damage to the constitutional order.

According to the resolution, Trump repeatedly used his position to intimidate political opponents, attack judges who ruled against him, and encourage hostility toward elected officials. Lawmakers argue this behavior represents a sustained pattern rather than isolated incidents.

Bipartisan Pressure Begins to Emerge

While the push for removal is largely driven by Democrats, cracks have begun to appear within Republican ranks. Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois became the first Republican House member to publicly call for the invocation of the 25th Amendment.

In a statement posted on social media, Kinzinger said Trump “abdicated his duty” to protect the American people and inflamed the passions that led to the Capitol attack. He described the president as unfit to serve and said removal was necessary to prevent further harm.

At the same time, Senator Ed Markey and other Democrats have publicly urged Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment, asserting that Trump poses a continuing danger to the country.

Growing Democratic Consensus

More than 120 House Democrats have formally backed calls for Trump to resign or be removed from office. These lawmakers support various constitutional mechanisms, including impeachment, the 25th Amendment, or voluntary resignation, arguing that Trump’s conduct has crossed a critical threshold.

Supporters of removal emphasize that these actions are not symbolic. Impeachment and the 25th Amendment are constitutional safeguards designed for moments when a president abuses power or becomes unfit to govern.

Constitutional Pathways and Political Reality

Impeachment requires a simple majority vote in the House of Representatives, followed by a Senate trial where a two-thirds vote is needed to convict and remove a president. With Republicans controlling Congress at the time, both steps face steep political obstacles.

The 25th Amendment presents an alternative but equally challenging route. It would require the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the president unable to fulfill his duties, a move widely viewed as unlikely given their loyalty to Trump.

Resignation remains a theoretical option, but lawmakers acknowledge that Trump has shown no willingness to step down voluntarily.

Why These Efforts Still Matter

Even if removal ultimately fails, the filing of impeachment resolutions carries lasting significance. These documents establish an official congressional record detailing alleged abuses of power and constitutional violations. Lawmakers argue this record is essential for historical accountability and future democratic norms.

Supporters of the resolutions stress that documenting misconduct matters, even when political realities prevent immediate consequences. The record demonstrates that Trump’s actions were challenged and formally condemned by his contemporaries, rather than normalized or ignored.

A Moment of Constitutional Tension

The growing divide over Trump’s fitness for office highlights a deeper crisis in American governance. On one side, lawmakers view removal as a necessary defense of democracy. On the other, Trump’s supporters dismiss these efforts as partisan attacks, reinforcing a breakdown in consensus over accountability.

As impeachment resolutions remain on file and calls for the 25th Amendment persist, Congress has made one thing clear: mechanisms for removal are in place, and the case against Trump has been formally laid out. Whether political conditions will ever allow those mechanisms to succeed remains uncertain—but the record is now written.