Michigan Rep. Shri Thanedar sends letter to VP Vance seeking Trump's removal, citing Iran remarks, tariffs

Michigan Rep. Shri Thanedar said he has sent a letter calling for President Trump's removal from office under 25th Amendment procedures to Vice President JD Vance and the administration's cabinet members. 

"President Trump is a threat to our country and to the world; he must be removed from office immediately," Thanedar's letter dated Tuesday said. 

Thanedar, a Democrat who represents Michigan's District 13, is among the dozens of lawmakers from Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts and other states who issued public statements Tuesday speaking out against the remarks Mr. Trump made on social media as his 8 p.m. Eastern Tuesday deadline approached for a deal with Iran. Those statements from the president included "a whole civilization will die tonight." 

Shortly before that announced deadline, Mr. Trump said he agreed to a two-week ceasefire, provided Iran reopens merchant traffic on the Strait of Hormuz. 

In the meantime, Thanedar submitted his letter to Vance and the cabinet. In his request, he cited the impact that tariffs had on American consumers, immigration enforcement campaigns in specific cities across the country, and a military strike against Iran in February.

"These are just some examples of the many nonsensical, irrational, and senseless actions President Trump has taken," Thanedar said. "There is no rhyme or reason to these actions, which can lead one to only one natural conclusion: these are not the actions of a sane person, nor one who is fit to serve as president of the most powerful nation in the world." 

Thanedar insisted that Mr. Trump "has no intention of changing his behavior or conforming to the laws of our country." 

The 25th Amendment was ratified and added to the U.S. Constitution in 1967. It spells out the process for removing a president from office, and the chain of succession of authority should a vacancy occur before a term is complete. There are also procedures spelled out in the amendment for replacing a vice president.  

Thanedar had filed articles of impeachment against Mr. Trump in April 2025, making accusations that included obstruction of justice and abuse of power. That attempt was dropped in May 2025, given a lack of political support at the time. 

Mr. Trump faced impeachment trials twice during his first term in office. Neither attempt resulted in his removal.