Country Over Comfort: The 25th Amendment, Vice President Pence (Letter)

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Dear Vice President Mike Pence,

I thought that, as my Vice President in this great country of ours, I would never have to write you a letter. I can’t think of many Vice Presidents that have had to assume so much control over the nation in such a chaotic time such as ours. COVID-19 has changed everything, and not in a good way.

But here we find ourselves in a situation where you must act. And though it is a difficult one, I know you can summon the courage to do what is right because you take your office and your oath seriously.

The Capitol siege: the reason for my letter

I know this is an uncomfortable situation, but you’re the Vice President. The Republican Party chose you to run alongside its Republican nominee back before 2016. That presidential candidate was Donald Trump. I’m sure there have been a lot of good moments between you and President Trump in the past 4 or 5 years. I’m sure you’ve had your share of successes, and you’ve felt blessed to occupy the second highest office in the USA. But now, your position affords you a responsibility that you cannot ignore.

I won’t go into all the gory details of the terrible siege on the Capitol this week in Washington, D.C., an assault on our nation’s democracy. Lives were lost, including that of a 55-year-old, 50-year-old, 34-year-old and a 35-year-old. Some were those of Capitol Police, while others were Trump fans who thought they were being patriotic to storm the Capitol the way they did. The behavior of the mobsters was unruly, un-patriotic, and un-democratic. There are a lot of other things that could be said, but at the end of the day, lives were lost. And why were they lost? Because of a speech by your “boss” and the nation’s President.

Just minutes before the march down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capital, the nation’s Commander-In-Chief told the crowd to “show strength.” He told them that the weak members of Congress need to be removed and that one cannot take back democracy in this country without showing strength. For Donald Trump, it’s never wise to be weak.

His definition of weak and my definition of weak are two different things. I believe that sometimes, being weak in the eyes of some is a strength. It takes strength to continue laboring for a country that votes out a President. But that’s weakness to Donald Trump. Humility, for him, is a sign of weakness.

He wanted them to march down to the Capitol, which is something he should have never recommended. He didn’t need to tell the crowd what to do. But he did. And now, we find ourselves being the laughingstock of the world. Regardless of what he said, no matter how Trump spins it, he is being portrayed as the great Inciter-In-Chief, a proverbial “match lighter” who throws the match onto the fire, then stands back and watches it burn as though he’s admiring his own handiwork.

He incited the siege of the Capitol. And for at least 2 hours into the siege, the President hunkered down in the White House and did nothing. He could go meet the patriot crowd face-to-face behind glass when he wanted to give a nonsensical speech about election fraud and election integrity. Isn’t that ironic? The nation’s leader, known for his corruption, not to mention his conversation with Raffensperger about “recalculating” election votes, wants to lecture the Democrats and the country on election integrity. It would probably have been best for him to practice election integrity before he preaches it to the nation. After all, that’s what we expect of our leaders, is it not? You’re a man of God; isn’t that what you expect of your Pastor?

And yet, after meeting them face-to-face to speak on election fraud, he hides away when the crowd goes wild and starts attacking the Capitol. Where was the President then? Why couldn’t he have appeared to give a speech about going home then? Why did he wait for a few hours before sending tweets and a video to tell these “patriots” to go home? His silence over such a long period of time, while the patriots desecrated our beloved Capitol, makes Trump guilty…in the same way that his failure to shut down the airlines, stop travel, and shut down borders for a 4-week span months ago when the pandemic started makes him guilty.

Trump wasn’t in the crowd egging these mobsters on, but his words incited them. He told them where to go in his speech. And he told them they had to exhibit strength, not weakness. Apparently, “weakness” to them meant going home and leaving well enough alone. I only wish to God they’d done that — for the sake of law enforcement and the protesters who lost their lives.

it’s time for the 25th amendment

The 25th Amendment was designed for those who, for whatever reason or another, are unable to do their job. It wasn’t originally designed for Trump (since he wasn’t president, when it was conceived). It was created after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in the 1960s. John F. Kennedy was killed and someone needed to replace him. It essentially created a line of succession for Presidents so that, should something happen, the Vice President would be authorized to serve. In the event the Vice President dies, the House Speaker or the Senate Majority Leader would serve, and so on. Cabinet members also play a role, for, if the succession stretches that far down the line, they would be able to fulfill the office of President.

What does the 25th Amendment say? It says that “In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.” The President can write a letter declaring he is unable to fulfill his office (whatever reason, be it a few days or a few months, or beyond, even), or the Vice President, cabinet, and Congress can write a letter declaring the President unfit, the Vice President assumes the Office of POTUS (President Of The United States) and can serve the remainder of the former President’s term (that is, if the President is unable to resume his term).

We know that Donald Trump will not surrender his presidency. The sad part is that, if he surrendered it, he could receive pardon for his federal crimes (though not his local crimes; New York Attorney General Letitia James will see to that). He may actually find more mercy if he left office. But then and again, we know Donald Trump would rather die in office than relinquish his power, status, and position. To him, letting go of it all would be weakness…and he can NEVER be weak.

But, if he won’t do it, then Vice President Mike Pence, only you and Congress can do it. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has given you a choice: you can either write a letter and cooperate with she (being House Speaker) and Congress to remove Trump from office, or Congress will have no choice but to press forward with impeachment proceedings.

The 25th Amendment concerns those who are unable to do their job. Since President Trump has incited mob violence that has resulted in the destruction of government buildings and property as well as lives lost, he is unfit to do his job.

what makes president trump unfit?

You may ask, “What makes Trump unfit to lead?” Well, for starters, the siege on the Capitol. The highest leader in the free world has a responsibility to protect the country from enemies foreign and domestic. He didn’t do that, but rather, lit the domestic terrorism match, then watched it light up and create the death and destruction it did on January 6, 2021. This is not what being presidential looks like or acts like. The President is to maintain law and order, not create lawlessness and disorder.

When the President incites mob violence, it’s a troubling sign that he or she doesn’t know what the task is about. To have to tell the President how he must behave is an embarrassment to the President and an embarrassment to the office of POTUS. And it’s an embarrassment to the nation’s citizens because it shows that the leadership of the country is “blind.” And, as Jesus says, if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch (Matthew 15:14). That’s where we find ourselves: in the political ditch because our nation’s highest leader doesn’t know what to do, nor where to go. He doesn’t know how to proceed as a President. He’s a tour guide who’s lost his compass (I’d dare say moral compass) and doesn’t know how to get back on the right path.

He’s lost his way, and anyone can see that. When he went to Raffensperger to elicit 11,779 nonexistent votes, he proved to the country that he’s lost his mind and his moral compass. Trump is mentally unfit to lead, but he’s also unfit because he doesn’t know what to do with the power he has. Anyone who thinks someone can recalculate votes without the slightest thought is someone who lacks a moral compass from the start. But on January 6th, he stood in front of the White House and told the “patriots” that he was about election integrity. Election integrity? How is finding nonexistent votes “integrity”? But remember, this is a President who doesn’t play by rules. You don’t put someone in a job to enforce the law when they don’t even abide by the law they’re appointed to enforce. Lawbreakers do not leaders make. And the Republican Party has lost its way because they knew who he was. He’s shown his true colors, every step of the way. But they didn’t pay attention to Maya Angelou who said that, “when someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

But his actions show that he is in a desperate position. And, despite his mental instability, he’s mentally competent enough to make a concession video of sorts, encouraging peace and an end to the feud caused by the heated November 2020 presidential election. Had he displayed that kind of class on January 6th, 2021, 4 people would still be alive. But Trump knows what he’s doing.

And yet, his mental stability (which he plays as mental instability) is what makes him unfit. He knows what he’s doing. He realizes he’s sowing discord and making people angry. He realizes he’s bringing out the worst in America, including the racists. He doesn’t seem to mind calling white supremacists “very good people,” telling white crowds that they have “good genes,” and calling African countries “S-hole countries.” For four years, American citizens and the world have watched as this leader has brought out the worst in Americans and the worst in himself. And this week, he took his worst to a whole new level for all the world to see. It is nothing short of shameful, disgusting, and morally repugnant. And just think: the President is responsible for undermining the very nation over which he presides. It’s an abdication of duty and responsibility to the worst degree possible.

And now Vice President, it’s time for you to step up as second in command and do something about it.

choose country over comfort: invoke the 25th Amendment against Donald Trump

Here’s what you can do: you can invoke the 25th Amendment against Trump. Sources say that you don’t want to, but remember, you did not appoint yourself to be Vice President. The Republican Party didn’t appoint you as Vice President. The people voted you in. The citizens of this great country voted, and the votes were counted. The same democratic process Trump is undermining is the same process that has given you 4 years as Vice President. You wouldn’t be where you are without the vote, so you owe the citizens of this great country an enormous debt.

And you can start repaying it by doing your job.

No one said that removing Trump will be easy for you. He’s your boss, I get it. You’ve had 4 good years with him and you want continued success with him because he’s going to stay a popular and powerful figure in the Republican Party. I understand. But being Vice President of the United States is about choosing country over comfort.

You took an oath to defend the Constitution, not your feelings about it. You took an oath to protect the nation from enemies both foreign and domestic. Well now, your boss is the domestic enemy. He’s the one behind the insurrection that took 4 lives this week.

So now, what are you going to do? You worry about Trump and how things will fall with him, but what about this great country that you claim to love so much? Aren’t you worried about your legacy, how Americans will remember you? I’ve heard you want to run for President in 2024. Do you think Americans will want a President who failed to protect them as Vice President? Americans aren’t so quick to forget your shortcomings when you throw them under the proverbial bus just to advance your political career.

It looks like you’re gonna have to choose between your country (America) and your comfort.

So, Vice President Mike Pence, which will it be?

Since you’re a Christian, I’ll quote to you the words of Scripture:


Who knows if God has made you Vice President, to rise to the occasion, for such a chaotic time as this?

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