The invasion of Congress by pro-Trump rioters makes it clear that Trump should not be allowed to hold office one more day. Trump encouraged and incited the mob that overpowered the Capitol police. Trump is responsible for criminal trespass that resulted in four deaths.
As Joe Biden said, these rioters do not represent America. Their takeover of Congress was an aberration that demonstrated the fragility of democracy. For all this, we have Trump to blame. Trump egged and encouraged his followers at a rally preceding the storming of Congress, telling them that he would be literally “walking down” with them to demand an end to the certification of Joe Biden’s election.
This is nothing short of insurrection. This is a textbook case of inciting violence and it must not be allowed to stand. Mike Pence should immediately invoke the 25th Amendment and replace Trump before anything worse happens. What else could Trump do? Plenty. He could instigate his crowds to yet again take formation and threaten Biden’s inauguration, for example. Worse, Trump could order the military to do anything in order to distract the country from the elevation of Biden. Trump could invade Venezuela. He could launch nuclear missiles at Iran. Or he could do all of these things. Anything to delay his return to civilian life. If, in his mind, he were to believe that he would make himself indispensable for the running of government, he will do whatever it takes to remain in office past January 20th.
Trump would find enablers throughout the White House because he has populated it with Christian fundamentalists. Trump’s febrile mind has proven to be so erratic that he could bring the world to Armageddon if he believed it would keep him in office. Remember that Christian fundamentalists believe Trump to be God’s emissary and further remember that Christian fundamentalists also believe that the rapture could be hastened by a nuclear cataclysm.
Trump is a man who has defied accountability his entire life. He must be held accountable for a riot that killed four and injured several others.
If Pence refuses to invoke the 25th Amendment, then the House should draw articles of impeachment and vote on them in the most expeditious manner. The Senate will then need to convict Trump and it should do so with near unanimity: it will be a test of Senators to side with Trump’s dictatorial moves. These are both simple up or down votes. There need not be a lot of complicated drama nor weeks of preparation.
There is no other option. The future of the world hangs very much on the balance over the next thirteen days if Trump is allowed to remain President one more hour.