Imagine President John F. Kennedy wasn’t killed by the bullet in the brain. He is in a vegetative state so we did not have someone who can legally carry out the powers and duties of the President. Some way was needed to keep America from having a President Woodrow Wilson situation again. Amendment XXV was proposed by Congress on July 6, 1965, only twenty months after JFK died, and was ratified on February 10, 1967.

After the amendment was enacted several Presidents have used Section 3 to turn over power to their Vice-President during an operation or procedure. It is a way of continuing the government during the hours when the President is unable to do so. The President signs a letter and copies are given to the Speaker of the House, the President Pro-Temp, and the Vice-President. When the President is able to resume his duties he writes another letter saying so.

Section 3 is simple and easily understood. Section 4 must have been written by a stadium of lawyers because it is full of legalese and hundreds of words. Why is it so important? It’s because it specifically details how to remove a President from office without their consent. I am sure the original intent was for a Wilson or surviving Kennedy scenario. However it can be used to remove a President who is mentally unfit to carry out the powers and duties of the President.

President Ronald Reagan stated to lose it before his second election as he demonstrated during the campaign. During his last year there was some discussion about whether he should step down on his own accord. I don’t remember any discussion of Section 4.

Now we have a President who demonstrates a moral unfitness and possibly a mental illness. He has lied over seven thousand times often telling conflicting lies during the same day. His narcissism is legendary. He treats women as toys for his own amusement. His boundless ego has created a fantasy world where he sees himself as emperor and able to bend everyone to his way of thinking. His lack of concentration and retention are well documented and perhaps caused by ADHD.

In his fantasy world, the realities of his intelligence community’s assessments are wrong. He thinks bullying people will always get his way and when it doesn’t, he lashes out. Lashing out when one has a nuclear trigger is scary.

Maybe Trump can be kept in line by the threat of the Cabinet or Congress unseating him with Section 4. It would be a huge step to utilize it but his thirst for absolute power may require it.