Op-Ed: Trump Leaves Office In Nine Days. Remove Him, Anyway.

It has been five days since the country’s institutions were pushed to their limit in an unprecedented attack on the United States Capitol. The entirety of the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as Vice President Mike Pence, were forced to flee or take cover as rioters, some armed, stormed the building. They had been certifying the 2020 presidential election results after months of challenges against its legitimacy (all of which were unfounded). Over the course of that Wednesday afternoon, Americans watched in horror as five people died, the Capitol was trashed, and the Capitol police failed miserably to contain the riots. It seems like it would have been a dark day for the United States government.

Not to the head of government himself, President Donald Trump, however. The crowd that terrorized Congress was sent at his behest, to overturn an election that ended badly for him. This was not along Republican and Democratic lines, this was about Donald Trump. Rioters chanted “hang Mike Pence” and erected a noose in front of the seat of American democracy, as they saw Trump’s right-hand man as inadequately engrossed in their cult. Republicans and Democrats alike were forced to take shelter out of fear for their lives. After months of “Back the Blue,” cops were not safe either. Being “pro-law enforcement” was put to the test as rioters maced police, and bludgeoned a Capitol police officer to death with a fire-extinguisher.

This never would have happened if it were not for Donald Trump. If the sitting President had conceded gracefully, as most every man in his position before him had, this never would have happened. If the President did not spread wild conspiracies and fan the flames of paramilitary organizations like the Proud Boys, this never would have happened. The blood of not only the Capitol officer, but of four pro-Trump rioters, is on the President’s hands. He sold these people a delusion, one which he certainly knows is false; and they died for it.

After extensive evidence of moral incapacity and callous disregard for not only democracy but human life itself, Trump must be removed from office. Some may say that such an act is pointless: Joe Biden’s inauguration is in less than two weeks. Why further divide a very divided nation? It is because some things are unforgivable, and can not go unanswered. A new presidential precedent has been set: elections do not matter, and insurrection is an acceptable way of hanging onto power. We have nine days to undo that, lest we end up on an inescapable pattern of political violence.

Whether Vice President Pence is to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Donald Trump, or Congress is to impeach and remove him, does not matter. All that matters is a firm rejection of the wannabe despot who encouraged a fascistic attempt to cling onto power past his term. This is not about partisanship. This is not about the President’s policies. This is about whether or not we allow an unhinged demagogue finish his term in grace.