Has the 25th Amendment ever been used?
Asked by: Mrs. Zoila Ondricka IV | Last update: February 18, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (59 votes)
Yes, the 25th Amendment has been used several times, primarily Section 3 (voluntary transfer of power for medical reasons) by Presidents Reagan, Bush (twice), and Biden, and Section 2 (filling a VP vacancy) for Gerald Ford and Nelson Rockefeller, though Section 4 (involuntary removal) has never been invoked, according to Congress.gov, Bipartisan Policy Center, and The American Presidency Project.
Who can invoke the 25th Amendment to remove a president?
The Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet (or another body Congress designates) can invoke the 25th Amendment (Section 4) to declare the President unable to serve, immediately making the VP acting president; if contested by the President, Congress must then decide, with a two-thirds vote in both houses needed to keep the VP as acting president permanently.
Has a president ever been fully removed from office?
No U.S. President has ever been fully removed from office through the impeachment process; three presidents—Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump (twice)—were impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate, while Richard Nixon resigned before the full House vote, avoiding removal. Removal requires a majority vote in the House (impeachment) followed by a two-thirds vote for conviction in the Senate, a threshold never reached for a president.
What is an example of the 25th Amendment being used?
Section 3 allows the president to voluntarily transfer presidential authority to the vice president (for example, in anticipation of a medical procedure) by declaring in writing his inability to discharge the presidency's powers and duties. The vice president then assumes those powers and duties as acting president.
Can a sitting president step down from office?
The president of the United States may be replaced if he or she: Becomes incapacitated. Dies. Resigns.
25th Amendment Activated at 3:14 A.M. — America Faces Its Most Dangerous Constitutional Crisis
Who can declare the President incompetent?
A president can be declared incompetent under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, a process initiated by the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet (or another designated body) sending a written declaration to Congress, which then makes the final decision if the President contests it, requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses to remove them. This "involuntary" removal process has never been invoked, though Section 3 (voluntary transfer of power) has been used.
Which President did not use the Bible to take the oath of office?
Several U.S. Presidents did not use a Bible for their oath, including John Quincy Adams (used a law book), Theodore Roosevelt (used no book at his first swearing-in), and Lyndon B. Johnson (used a Catholic missal), with Calvin Coolidge also noting he didn't use one, adhering to Vermont tradition. The Constitution doesn't require a Bible, allowing for these variations, often signifying a belief in secularism or responding to unique circumstances.
How many times has the 25th Amendment been invoked?
The 25th Amendment has been invoked six times in total, but only for filling vice-presidential vacancies (Section 2) and for temporary transfers of power during presidential medical procedures (Section 3); Section 4, which allows for involuntary removal of presidential power, has never been used. The instances include twice to fill vice-presidential vacancies (Agnew/Ford, Ford/Rockefeller) and four times for temporary disability (Reagan in 1985, Bush in 2002 and 2007, and Biden in 2021).
What are two legal ways to remove a president from office?
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Has a president ever used the 25th Amendment?
The first use of the 25th Amendment occurred in 1973 when President Richard Nixon nominated Congressman Gerald R. Ford of Michigan to fill the vacancy left by Vice President Spiro Agnew's resignation.
Which president got impeached for lying?
Res. 611, Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998, on grounds of perjury to a grand jury (first article, 228–206) and obstruction of justice (third article, 221–212).
Who can the President not remove from office?
The holding in Myers boils down to the proposition that the Constitution endows the President with an illimitable power to remove all officers in whose appointment he has participated, with the exception of federal judges.
Who is the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice?
Donald Trump is the only U.S. President to have been impeached twice, first in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and again in 2021 for incitement of insurrection following the January 6 Capitol attack, though he was acquitted in both Senate trials.
What happens if the 25th Amendment is invoked?
In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
What would it take for Trump to be removed from office?
For impeachment to occur, a simple majority is needed in the House and for conviction/removal from office to occur a two-thirds majority is needed in the Senate. At the time both the House and Senate were controlled by Republicans.
Who has power to overrule the President?
Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, making a bill law without the President's signature, while the Vice President and Cabinet can initiate the process under the 25th Amendment to declare the President unable to serve, and the Supreme Court can declare executive actions unconstitutional, though Congress ultimately controls impeachment.
Why was Trump not removed from office?
The trial saw no witnesses or documents being subpoenaed, as Republican senators rejected attempts to introduce subpoenas. On February 5, Trump was acquitted on both counts by the Senate, as neither count received 2/3 votes to convict. Trump remained in office for the remainder of his first term.
Can Elon Musk be the president?
Musk, who was born in South Africa, is ineligible to run for the presidency or the vice presidency of the United States under the provisions of the United States Constitution. He is eligible to run for other offices, such as United States senator or representative, as well as to be a political party chair.
Who can overthrow the president?
The Constitution gives Congress the authority to impeach and remove "The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States" upon a determination that such officers have engaged in treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
Who can declare a president incompetent?
A president can be declared incompetent under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, a process initiated by the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet (or another designated body) sending a written declaration to Congress, which then makes the final decision if the President contests it, requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses to remove them. This "involuntary" removal process has never been invoked, though Section 3 (voluntary transfer of power) has been used.
Who can legally invoke the 25th Amendment?
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment—perhaps the most complex part of the amendment, which has never been invoked—allows for the vice president and a majority of cabinet secretaries (or another body as Congress may provide) to declare the president unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office.
What are three ways the president can be removed from office in 2025?
“The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
What Bible did Trump use?
The "Trump Bible" refers to the God Bless the USA Bible, a special edition featuring the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, promoted by Donald Trump and inspired by Lee Greenwood's song. It's not a new translation but a compilation including America's founding documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Pledge of Allegiance) alongside Scripture, marketed to promote Christian values in America, with copies printed in China despite Trump's "America First" stance.
What is the only Bible endorsed by Trump?
The God Bless the U.S.A. Bible, also known as the Trump Bible, is an anthology or compilation of texts—some of them deliberately incomplete—in the realm of American Civil Religion and Trumpism, containing an edition of the King James Version of the Christian Bible, alongside texts related to the foundation and politics ...
What president didn't believe in God?
While no president so far has ever openly identified as an atheist, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and William Howard Taft were speculated to be atheists by their opponents during political campaigns; in addition, a survey during the first presidency of Donald Trump showed that 63% of Americans did not believe he ...