White House reports discuss possible 25th Amendment removal of Donald Trump

They can remove him. That phrase is now circulating at the highest levels of American political life, spoken not by fringe voices but by sitting senators and former White House insiders. The chances of President Donald Trump facing a 25th Amendment removal have surged this weekend, driven by a shocking political storm that is shaking America’s entire foundation of democratic governance.

The surge in public concern is being tracked in real time on Kalshi, one of the largest regulated prediction markets in the United States. Trading volume on the platform climbed steadily this weekend as users placed bets on whether Cabinet-level action to declare the president unfit might actually occur.

The “Yes” shares on Kalshi’s contract titled “Will the 25th Amendment be used during Trump’s presidency?” rose from 28.6 percent to 35.1 percent within just the last month. That marks the second-highest level recorded since the start of Trump’s second term. The same contract opened at just 15 percent in January 2025.

The spike did not happen in a vacuum. It came directly after a series of high-profile controversies surrounding Trump’s behavior during the ongoing Iran war, which has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz and sent global oil prices to record highs.

The moment that broke through was Trump’s Easter Sunday post on Truth Social. On one of Christianity’s holiest mornings, the president published a profanity-filled threat aimed directly at Iran.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F*****’ Strait you crazy b*******, or you’ll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” Trump wrote.

The post triggered an immediate wave of alarm across the political spectrum. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut responded directly, writing on X that if he were in Trump’s Cabinet, he would “spend Easter calling constitutional lawyers about the 25th Amendment.” He called the post “completely, utterly unhinged.”

Murphy was not alone. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump was “ranting like an unhinged madman.” Senator Bernie Sanders called it “the ravings of a dangerous and mentally unbalanced individual” and demanded Congress act immediately to end the war.

Even former Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene broke ranks publicly. In a lengthy post on X, she wrote that Trump “has gone insane” and urged administration officials to “intervene in Trump’s madness,” adding that everyone around him is “complicit.”

Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci referenced the Founders themselves, writing that the 25th Amendment was designed precisely for moments when a president appears unfit to hold executive power.

The 25th Amendment is one of the most powerful constitutional tools available in American government. It allows the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to formally declare the president unable to perform his duties, transferring power to the vice president. Any such move would require formal action, followed by potential congressional involvement, a process that carries significant legal and political hurdles.

Critically, the 25th Amendment has never been used to remove a sitting president. Its most common use has been temporary transfers of power during medical procedures, most recently when President Biden briefly transferred authority to then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2021.

What makes this moment unusual is that Trump himself joked about the Amendment just days before his Easter post. At a March 26 press conference, when asked about his Iran war plans, Trump laughed and said, “If I did, I wouldn’t be sitting here for long. I’d probably — what is it called, the 25th Amendment? They’d institute the 25th Amendment.”

Public opinion data adds further context. An Economist-YouGov poll conducted at the end of March found that only 14 percent of Americans support sending U.S. troops to Iran, while 62 percent are opposed. The Iran war has now killed more than 3,500 people across the region and displaced over 4 million.

Prediction markets like Kalshi do not predict outcomes with certainty. Critics argue these platforms can amplify political panic by turning speculation into a tradeable commodity. Supporters counter that they offer transparent, real-time windows into how the public is genuinely processing moments of national uncertainty.

What is clear is that the political conversation inside America has shifted. Kalshi’s contract will remain open, and analysts expect prices to keep fluctuating as the Iran war continues and scrutiny of the administration intensifies. Whether the 25th Amendment is ever formally invoked or not, the fact that it is now being debated this seriously, by senators, former officials, and even past allies, signals just how deep the current political storm runs.