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Sunny Hostin of ABC’s The View floated a loud and headline‑friendly idea this week: if Republicans lose the midterms, the Cabinet could use the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump and make Vice President J.D. Vance the replacement. It sounded dramatic on daytime TV. But dramatic TV talk and constitutional reality are two very different things.
What Sunny Hostin said on The View
On air, Hostin asked when people would “start in earnest” considering the 25th Amendment. She said if Republicans lose control of Congress, they might want “some control over this person,” and she named Vice President J.D. Vance as the likely replacement. Other co‑hosts pushed back or rolled their eyes. The key point: Hostin offered a political wish dressed up as a constitutional plan.
How the 25th Amendment (Section 4) actually works
Section 4 mechanics made simple
Section 4 lets the vice president and a majority of Cabinet members say the president is “unable” to do the job. The vice president then acts as president. But if the president objects, Congress must vote. To keep the president out, two‑thirds of both the House and the Senate must agree. That is a very high bar. In plain terms: this has never been used to forcibly remove a president, and for good reason — it requires broad, bipartisan support and a clear, legal case.
Why Hostin’s idea is unlikely — and why that matters
First, the notion that a midday TV panel can casually propose stripping a president of power after an election smells like politics, not law. You don’t get to swap a president because of headlines or bad polls. Second, the Cabinet would have to risk its careers and face huge political fallout to try this. Third, even if the Cabinet acted, Congress would need two‑thirds majorities in both chambers to finish the job — almost impossible without cross‑party consensus. Finally, suggesting the 25th as a fallback if the midterms “go wrong” turns a constitutional safety net into a political weapon. That’s dangerous.
Bottom line: respect the process, not TV drama
There is room for debate about a president’s fitness. But the 25th Amendment is not a substitute for votes, courts, or the ballot box. Sunny Hostin’s comments made for spicy TV. They don’t change the law, and they shouldn’t change how voters think about the midterms. If Americans are unhappy, the proper remedy is the polling booth — not a studio‑driven scheme to yank a president from office. Keep an eye on the midterms and on the rule of law; both matter more than a talk‑show hot take.
