What to know about the 25th Amendment as Trump makes wild claim about Biden

CNN —

President Joe Biden’s planned address to the nation on Wednesday night will be an opportunity to explain his decision not to run for reelection and show he is still up to the task of serving as president – a job he has for nearly six more months, until January 20, 2025.

No matter what Biden says or how much his fellow Democrats try to build up his accomplishments as president, multiple Republicans have argued that the 25th Amendment to the Constitution should be used to remove Biden from office ASAP – something that’s not going to happen since no Democrat supports it.

Former President Donald Trump, appearing at a rally in North Carolina Wednesday evening, made the unfounded claim that Biden was told by Democratic leaders that if he did not step aside in the election, he would be removed with the 25th Amendment.

“The bosses, they said, ‘Either you get out, or we’re going to throw you out using the 25th Amendment,’” Trump said in prepared remarks opening his rally. While there’s no evidence to back up Trump’s wild claim about Biden, it is a verifiable fact that Trump’s own Cabinet considered the idea of using the 25th Amendment against him in 2021.

Trump’s current running mate, Sen. JD Vance, said on Monday Democrats should use the 25th Amendment to remove Biden from office.

“You don’t get to do this in the most politically beneficial way for Democrats,” he said on Fox News of Biden’s decision to end his presidential campaign. “If it’s an actual problem, they should take care of it the appropriate way.”

Talk about the 25th Amendment with regard to Biden has been percolating among Republicans, but it is a nonstarter among Democrats who have universally praised Biden for making the decision to step aside