JD Vance urged to invoke 25th amendment against Trump
A viral call for JD Vance to use the 25th Amendment against Trump is being treated like a real political development even though it’s just one commentator’s suggestion, not evidence of incapacity or an active removal effort.
Mar 23, 2026
Sources
Summary
A conservative magazine founder urged Vice President JD Vance to support a 25th Amendment power transfer from President Donald Trump and floated Sen. Chris Murphy as a replacement vice president. The coverage spotlights the provocation but does not show any formal process, medical basis, Cabinet action, or congressional move toward invoking the amendment. The story matters because it blurs the line between online speculation and constitutional reality, which can mislead readers about how presidential disability removal actually works.
Reality Check
The key corrective point: a commentator urging the 25th Amendment is not the 25th Amendment being invoked. A Section 4 transfer would require Vance plus a majority of the Cabinet (or a legally authorized body) to make a formal declaration that Trump is unable to perform his duties, and the process can become a congressional fight if the president contests it. The reporting described here documents an online recommendation and surrounding political debate, not a verified, active constitutional removal process.
Media
Detail
Scott McConnell, founding editor of The American Conservative, posted on X on Sunday (March 22, 2026) urging Vice President JD Vance to back a “25th amendment transition” and to publicly argue for it.
McConnell suggested that a Democrat such as Sen. Chris Murphy could be named vice president and that Vance should pledge not to run in 2028—ideas presented as political strategy rather than a documented plan underway.
The 25th Amendment’s disability transfer mechanism (especially Section 4) is a formal process requiring the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet (or another congressionally designated body) to declare the president unable to discharge duties; disputes can trigger congressional involvement.
Newsweek ties the commentary to broader tensions around Trump’s Iran strikes and notes Vance has avoided detailing Situation Room discussions while defending the need for confidential adviser deliberations.
The article cites a POLITICO/Public First poll (fielded March 13–18, 2026) reporting strong support for last month’s Iran strikes among Trump’s 2024 voters, including self-identified MAGA voters (81%) and non-MAGA Trump voters (61), while overall public support was lower (reported at 43% in the Newsweek write-up). (politico.com)
The piece references the January 2026 U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as an example of prior administration military action; contemporaneous congressional research described the capture occurring January 3, 2026. (congress.gov)
No evidence is presented that Vance has initiated any 25th Amendment steps, that the Cabinet is organizing, or that Trump has been formally assessed as incapacitated.