Democrats Launch Long-Shot 25th Amendment Push to Review Trump's Fitness

House Democrats introduced legislation on Tuesday that would create a commission to examine invoking the 25th Amendment against President Donald Trump, citing his increasingly unhinged rhetoric and conduct during the war he launched against Iran. The bill, backed by 50 Democratic cosponsors and led by Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, comes as Trump faces extraordinary criticism from across the political spectrum, including a blunt declaration from Sen. Bernie Sanders that the president is “mentally unstable.”

The proposed 17-member commission would be made up of former high-ranking officials chosen by both parties. It would have the power to request a medical examination of the president and determine whether he is “mentally or physically unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office.” In a statement, Raskin pointed to what he described as a dangerous pattern: Trump’s threats to “destroy entire civilizations,” his decision to bypass Congress in launching military action, his public insults directed at Pope Francis, and his sharing of online images depicting himself as a Christ-like figure.

“Public trust in Donald Trump’s ability to meet the duties of his office has dropped to unprecedented lows,” Raskin said. “We are at a dangerous precipice, and it is now a matter of national security for Congress to fulfill its responsibilities under the 25th Amendment.”

The legislation faces long odds. The 25th Amendment requires the vice president and a majority of the cabinet, or a body designated by Congress, to act before a president can be removed. Vice President JD Vance, a staunch Trump loyalist, is viewed as highly unlikely to participate in any such effort. Still, the move reflects a growing sense among Democrats and some outside observers that the president’s behavior has become a national security risk.

That view was echoed forcefully by Sanders on MSNBC’s “All In with Chris Hayes.” The Vermont senator did not hesitate. “Clearly we have a mentally unstable president of the United States,” he said. Sanders criticized Trump for constant lying, for imagery that many Catholics found blasphemous, and for allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to finally drag the United States into a war with Iran after decades of trying. Sanders announced plans to introduce resolutions in the Senate that would block further U.S. funding for Netanyahu’s government, which he accused of waging a “genocidal war” in Gaza, initiating the Iran conflict, and violating international law in the West Bank.

Trump’s own actions have only fueled the criticism. According to reporting from The New Republic, the president erupted in fury at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a far-right ally once considered a natural partner. Meloni had expressed support for the Pope’s criticism of the war. In response, Trump labeled her “unacceptable,” accused her of not caring whether Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, and called her a coward for declining to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The outburst underscored how the Iran conflict is fracturing even Trump’s relationships with international right-wing leaders.

At home, the political damage appears severe. A CNN analysis by Harry Enten found that Trump’s net approval rating among non-college-educated white voters, a cornerstone of his electoral coalition, has collapsed by 34 points. The same group now disapproves of his handling of the war itself, a remarkable shift on an issue that once seemed tailor-made for his base. The data suggests that the human cost of the conflict, the absence of any clear resolution, and the chaotic fallout across the Middle East have begun to erode loyalty even among voters who stuck with Trump through two impeachments and a criminal conviction.

The war, which began after Trump gave Netanyahu the green light that previous presidents had withheld, has produced no evident strategic victory. Instead it has unleashed broader instability, drawn sharp rebukes from religious leaders, and prompted accusations that the administration violated congressional war powers. These concerns are no longer confined to the left. The combination of battlefield stalemate, domestic political bleeding, and a president who responds to criticism by attacking longtime allies has left the MAGA movement visibly strained.

For now, the 25th Amendment effort is largely symbolic. Yet the very fact that dozens of House Democrats felt compelled to file such legislation, paired with Sanders’ unusually direct language and the startling polling reversal among Trump’s core supporters, paints a picture of a presidency under immense pressure. As the conflict in the Middle East continues without resolution, the questions about Trump’s judgment and stability are only growing louder. Whether those questions produce any meaningful check on his power will depend on whether enough Republicans are willing to break ranks, something that has rarely happened during his time in politics. For the moment, the administration appears more focused on lashing out at critics than on addressing the substantive failures that have brought the country to this point.