Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott raised eyebrows on Monday when he suggested that President Joe Biden should be removed from office under the 25th Amendment, due to the sudden collapse of 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?" Scott wrote on Twitter.
Scott, widely viewed as a potential 2024 GOP presidential candidate, currently chairs the Senate GOP's campaign arm.
In response to Scott's tweet, MSNBC columnist Steve Benen noted that he was one of only eight GOP senators who refused to certify Biden's victory, even after the Capitol insurrection.
"A staid, respected observer he is not," Benen wrote of Scott. "But publicly suggesting the incumbent president be removed from office because he may not be 'capable of discharging the duties of his office' is an obvious and unsettling escalation."
"Under normal political circumstances, when a member of a major party's Senate leadership team broaches such a subject, it would be a dramatic development,' Benen continued. "Of course, in 2021, given what's become of Republican politics, Rick Scott merely generated a handful of headlines, because people recognized the senator's tweet for what it was: a sad, little partisan stunt."
More reactions to Scott's tweet from Twitter below.
This would ultimately require the support of VP Harris, a majority of Biden's cabinet, and two-thirds of the House and Senate. It's never happened before, and for good reason.— Jan Wolfe (@Jan Wolfe) 1629136033
Are you kidding me? Y\u2019all didn\u2019t invoke the #25thAmendment for the treasonous, porn star banging, twice impeached, insurrection inciting, dictator cavorting, nazi supporting, racist, rapist.https://twitter.com/senrickscott/status/1427294742824591363\u00a0\u2026— Bishop Talbert Swan (@Bishop Talbert Swan) 1629173318
After what y\u2019all just stood by and let happen with the last guy, no Republican gets to play this card EVER.https://twitter.com/senrickscott/status/1427294742824591363\u00a0\u2026— Outdoorgirl_27, M.Ed, M.S. (@Outdoorgirl_27, M.Ed, M.S.) 1629191786
Folks, @SenRickScott is 100% an idiothttps://twitter.com/politico/status/1427420062944747524\u00a0\u2026— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) 1629204819
You should be the one removed from office, hypocrite, you applauded the inveterate liar when he was in office when he announced the withdrawal of US Troops and now you are calling for Pres Biden's removal after he went through with the withdrawal of your imbecilic moron liar, Azzhttps://twitter.com/SenRickScott/status/1427294742824591363\u00a0\u2026— Jd214 (@Jd214) 1629152038
How he (Rick Scott) pulled off the largest Medicare fraud in US history and isn't in prison remains one of my big questions.https://twitter.com/SenRickScott/status/1427294742824591363\u00a0\u2026— Paiyslee \ud83d\udc1d (@Paiyslee \ud83d\udc1d) 1629151870
Did @SenRickScott ask the same question when the previous guy \u201cin charge\u201d wanted to invite the taliban to Camp David? It\u2019s #Hypocrisy at it\u2019s finest.— grannyannie1213 (@grannyannie1213) 1629164606
too bad no 25th amendment for deathsantis and the TX idiothttps://twitter.com/SenRickScott/status/1427294742824591363\u00a0\u2026— Dawson79\ud83c\udf3b (@Dawson79\ud83c\udf3b) 1629163096
Just gonna leave this here. https://twitter.com/senrickscott/status/1427294742824591363\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/afw5KwsAP7— Alex Duffy (@Alex Duffy) 1629155265
Yeah Ricky, it's insane that he met with Taliban leaders and cut a deal without giving the existing Afghan government a say in the matter.\n\nOh wait--that was Trump. And it was clearly stated in the GOP website until two days ago when it was deleted.https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afghanistan-taliban-trump/trump-hails-afghanistan-deal-plans-to-meet-taliban-leaders-soon-idUSKBN20N0YU\u00a0\u2026— Terry Munson (@Terry Munson) 1629145653
Hmmm, something seems off here https://twitter.com/senrickscott/status/1427294742824591363\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/OmJ6pwkS6D— \ud83c\udf7b\u26be\ufe0fQuarantine Age Wasteland\ud83e\udda0\ud83d\udc89 (@\ud83c\udf7b\u26be\ufe0fQuarantine Age Wasteland\ud83e\udda0\ud83d\udc89) 1629151268
