Former CIA Director John Brennan has joined voices calling for President Donald Trump's removal, suggesting the constitutional mechanism for presidential ouster was essentially designed with Trump in mind.
Brennan, who led the intelligence agency under President Barack Obama, made the case during an appearance on MSNBC's "Shift" program Saturday. He characterized Trump as "clearly unhinged" and argued that recent inflammatory statements about destroying Iranian civilization represented a genuine threat to national security and lives.
The 25th Amendment, which establishes procedures for removing a president deemed unfit, appeared tailor-made for this exact scenario, Brennan suggested. He framed Trump's pattern of volatile rhetoric as evidence that the president no longer possessed the temperament or stability required for the job.
Brennan's comments reflect a broader concern among national security officials and critics who view Trump's statements about Iran as dangerously reckless. The remarks in question centered on the destruction of Iranian civilization, language typically associated with existential threats.
The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, outlines how the vice president and cabinet members can collectively determine that a president is incapable of performing essential duties. The provision has never been invoked in American history, though it gained fresh attention during the Trump presidency.
Brennan's position carries weight given his tenure at the CIA and his security clearance background. His willingness to publicly call for removal rather than simply criticizing policy reflects the intensity of concern among some former officials about Trump's fitness for office.
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