Maxine Waters Says Trump’s Actions Warrant 25th Amendment Review
The 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1967, outlines procedures for transferring presidential power in cases where the president dies, resigns, is removed, or becomes incapacitated. It also allows a president to temporarily delegate authority and provides a process for the vice president and Cabinet to intervene if they believe the president is unfit to serve. Though rarely invoked, the amendment remains a key constitutional safeguard during moments of crisis.
Calls to invoke the 25th Amendment are now resurfacing following President Donald Trump’s controversial removal of Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook. On Monday, Trump dismissed Cook, accusing her of misrepresenting information on a mortgage application—an allegation she strongly denies. On Thursday, Cook filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of her dismissal and seeking a restraining order to retain her position. The legal battle is expected to escalate to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cook, in a statement to the Associated Press, said: “President Trump purported to fire me ‘for cause’ when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign.”
In her termination letter, Trump claimed Cook’s actions amounted to “gross negligence in financial transactions,” calling her competence as a financial regulator into question. However, critics argue the allegations are baseless and politically motivated.
Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), during an appearance on MSNBC, said Trump’s actions could destabilize the economy and threaten democratic norms. “It is time to call for Amendment 25 of the Constitution to determine his unfitness,” she said. “This is absolutely one of the most destructive things that this president could do.”
Waters warned that removing Cook could shake confidence in the Federal Reserve and trigger economic fallout. “This stands to basically upend the entire economy,” she said. “What’s going to happen on Wall Street, with interest rates, with the president making decisions that personally benefit him—we should all be watching closely.”
Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), also speaking on MSNBC, suggested the real target may be Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. “Donald Trump’s real preference is to fire Jerome Powell. But he knows that’s a bridge too far,” she said. “So instead, he’s trying to interfere with the Fed’s independence by going after individual board members like Lisa Cook.”
Wasserman Schultz called the allegations against Cook “preposterous,” pointing out that there’s been no formal investigation and that Cook did not receive favorable loan terms. “That demonstrates she didn’t break the law,” she said.
MSNBC host Symone Sanders-Townsend highlighted the seriousness of Waters’ remarks, noting, “Presidents have been impeached for much less.”
As Cook’s case moves forward, Democrats are intensifying scrutiny of Trump’s actions and their implications for the independence of federal institutions. With concerns mounting over the erosion of constitutional checks and balances, talk of the 25th Amendment may gain momentum in the coming weeks.
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