Will Kamala Harris take over from Biden? GOP senator wants POTUS out after Afghan debacle
As President Joe Biden's popularity takes a drastic hit with the Afghanistan crisis, Florida GOP Senator Rick Scott has proposed invoking the 25th Amendment and remove Biden from the presidency. The Republican lawmaker posted a tweet on August 16, questioning Biden's competency. He wrote, "After the disastrous events in Afghanistan, we must confront a serious question: Is Joe Biden capable of discharging the duties of his office or has time come to exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment?"
Joe Biden has been at the helm of criticism not only in the US but across the world ever since the Taliban assumed power in Afghanistan. The shocking takeover happened within weeks of US administration deciding to withdraw troops after two decades. In a press conference on August 16, the 46th US President said, "Four presidents have presided over an American troop presence in Afghanistan—two Republicans and two Democrats. We will not pass this war onto a fifth." He defended his decision saying that American troops should not be fighting wars for a foreign nation — a message that has earned him severe backlash. Amid the political uproar, Vice President Kamala Harris is yet to issue any statement on the Afghan crisis. But it is evident that her stance is in agreement with the President.
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After the disastrous events in Afghanistan, we must confront a serious question: Is Joe Biden capable of discharging the duties of his office or has time come to exercise the provisions of the 25th Amendment? https://t.co/l1bFrUdZH9
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) August 16, 2021
In case the 25th Amendment is invoked for the first time in history, Vice President Harris and other cabinet members would then require to prove Biden unfit for office. Such a scenario would mandate the approval by a two-thirds majority vote in both the chambers of the Parliament. Kamala Harris would thereafter assume the Presidential position with Biden being removed.
Such a situation is unprecedented in the political history of America and it is highly unlikely to happen now. However, the Republican party appears to be banking on this opportunity to advocate for Biden's resignation and impeachment. Aside from Rick Scott, former President Donald Trump, who himself had been impeached twice, said that Biden should step down in the light of the Afghanistan situation.
Despite the US Defense officials predicting that Afghanistan would be able to hold off Taliban for up to three months after the withdrawal of US troops, the Taliban takeover was almost immediate.
Shocking imagery of Afghan nationals desperately clinging onto US military jets and flights to escape the terror-ravaged nation has emerged online, putting Biden's popularity to test. Despite the imminent humanitarian crisis, the President continues to hold firm on his decision, thus incuring more displeasure of people across the nation. "I will not repeat the mistakes we've made in the past — mistake of staying and fighting indefinitely in a conflict that is not in the national interest of the United States, of doubling down on a civil war in a foreign country," he stated.
Critics are of the opinion that Biden's one decision has undone over 20 years of hard work and sacrifice by thousands of US troops. The rush exit has been termed as a "stain on our nation's integrity".
It remains to be seen whether the outcry against Biden can prompt something as historic as the invoking of the 25th Amendment and whether that brings up Harris as the head of the nation.