Amid Donald Trump’s continued insistence on annexing Greenland, several Democrats have raised the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment.

Since returning to office last year, the president has repeatedly spoken about taking control of the Danish territory, arguing that the United States “needs” to own Greenland immediately for reasons tied to national security.

The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from European leaders. In response, Trump has threatened to impose a ten-percent tariff on eight European countries beginning in February. According to the administration, those tariffs would increase to 25 percent by June if negotiations fail to secure what Trump has described as the “complete and total purchase of Greenland.”

The escalating rhetoric has fueled public concern that a global conflict could erupt if the United States were to pursue military action in the region. As a result, some of Trump’s critics have suggested using the 25th Amendment as a means of removing him from office.

What is the 25th Amendment?

The amendment was drafted by federal lawmakers following the assassination of John F Kennedy in 1963, with the goal of clarifying presidential succession and incapacity.

Section 4 of the amendment allows for presidential authority to be temporarily transferred to the vice president without formally removing the president from office. While a sitting president could attempt to block such action, Congress ultimately holds the power to enforce the transfer through a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Under this provision, the vice president — currently JD Vance — along with a majority of the 15-member Cabinet, must jointly declare that the president is unable to fulfill the duties of the office.

Although the amendment has never been used to remove a sitting president, it has been invoked on two occasions involving temporary transfers of authority to vice presidents.

Calls to Invoke the Amendment

Last year, California Representative Maxine Waters publicly urged decisive action to prevent Trump from remaining in office. She warned that his desire to exert control over the Federal Reserve and dictate interest rates posed a serious threat to economic stability.

Waters argued that such actions reflected authoritarian tendencies, stating that Trump’s approach could “upend the entire economy,” and called for the implementation of Article 25.

Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey echoed similar sentiments more recently, posting on X: “Invoke the 25th Amendment.” His comment followed a New York Times report indicating that Trump was continuing to pursue the annexation of Greenland after failing to secure a Nobel Peace Prize.

In a letter addressed to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump further alarmed critics by stating that he was no longer thinking “purely of peace,” and suggested punitive action against an allied nation after Norway declined to award him the Nobel Peace Prize.