Donald Trump, the reality star president, has totally captured our attention with his antics. While some may find them entertaining, they are clearly a threat to our democracy, world order, and people of color. These attacks are more than worthy of the 25th Amendment being invoked to remove him from office.
As of late July–August 2026, Donald Trump’s net approval rating is around -25, according to The Economist. This means that he is disapproved of by roughly 60% of respondents and approved of by about 35%, a record low for this and any other modern presidency.
Trump’s behavior is out of control. He has involved America in an untenable war that is damaging our world standing while increasing gas prices to record highs; he is imposing illegal tariffs, causing rises in groceries and consumer goods; he is attacking the 1st Amendment and the free press; he makes blatant, racist attacks against people of color.
Although Trump will not be on the November ballot, the elections will be all about him because of his dominance over Congressional Republicans who have supported all of his actions and policies.
Donald Trump needs to be removed from office before he does more damage. This could be accomplished by the 25th Amendment. The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution establishes procedures for presidential disability and succession for incapacitation. The Vice President and a majority of the relevant body (the Cabinet, or such other body as Congress may by law provide), sends a written declaration to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives stating that the President is unable to discharge his office’s powers and duties. Following this declaration, the Vice President immediately assumes such powers and duties as Acting President.
Trump, now 80, has exhibited odd behavior at campaign events, in interviews, in his spontaneous remarks, and at press conferences for more than a year. The president repeatedly drifts off topic, such as when he spent 15 minutes talking about decorating during a cabinet meeting this month, and appears to misremember simple facts about his government and his life. His recent statement that the Strait of Hormuz should become a U.S. territory was bizarre. His abrupt changes in conversation without self-regulation and without having a coherent narrative suggest he has entered dementia. During a meeting with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, Trump abruptly switched from discussing immigration to speaking non-stop and unprompted about windmills, claiming without evidence that they drive whales “loco” and that wind energy “kills the birds” (the proportion of birds killed by turbines is tiny compared to the number killed by domestic cats and from flying into power lines).
While it’s clear that removal by the 25th Amendment is not going to happen—Trump’s cabinet of loyalists and the Republican-controlled Congress are too fearful to stand against his obvious disregard for the Constitution and rule of law—it should become part of the Democrats’ 2026 campaigns against their Republican opponents.
Democrats running for Congress can be successful in adopting this strategy focusing on Trump, especially his mishandling of the Iran War, which 6 in 10 voters disapprove of, and the fact that he has made life more expensive for Americans by increasing our costs of living. Trump’s approval rating on the economy has sunk to just 32%, with even Republicans saying they need “to get a loan before going grocery shopping.”
Democrats can tie all of this to Congressional Republicans who have done nothing to reverse or stop these Trump disasters. They have the power, but will not consider using it to take action against their incompetent and dangerous president.
