Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-07**Lead**
California Governor Gavin Newsom has once again called for the invocation of the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office, escalating a political confrontation that has reignited debate over presidential fitness and constitutional procedures. The White House responded swiftly on Tuesday, dismissing Newsom’s remarks as a politically motivated stunt and accusing the governor of overstepping his authority.
Newsom, a Democrat and frequent critic of the president, made the remarks during a press conference in Sacramento, where he argued that Trump’s recent conduct and rhetoric posed a direct threat to the stability of the nation. “The evidence is overwhelming, and the responsibility is clear,” Newsom said, without providing specific new examples of presidential behavior. His comments mark the second time in recent months that the governor has publicly urged the invocation of the 25th Amendment, a constitutional mechanism that allows the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to declare a president unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office.
**Context**
The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, was designed to address presidential incapacity, whether due to physical illness, mental decline, or other factors that render a president unable to perform their duties. Section 4 of the amendment provides a process by which the vice president and a majority of the principal officers of the executive departments can transfer power to the vice president. However, the provision has never been invoked against a sitting president, and constitutional scholars have long debated its applicability to non-medical circumstances.
Newsom’s renewed call comes amid heightened political polarization and ongoing friction between the Biden administration and Trump’s political allies. Although Trump is no longer in office, he remains a dominant figure in the Republican Party and has signaled a potential bid for the presidency in 2028. Newsom’s comments therefore carry significant political weight, positioning him as a vocal opponent of Trump’s continued influence on national politics.
The White House response was immediate and forceful. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement characterizing Newsom’s remarks as “baseless and reckless,” adding that the governor’s focus should be on California’s pressing issues, including homelessness and public safety. “President Trump remains fully engaged and effective in his duties,” Leavitt said. “The governor’s attempts to undermine the presidency are nothing more than a distraction from his own failures in California.”
**Analise**
Newsom’s decision to raise the 25th Amendment again reflects a broader strategy among Democratic leaders to keep Trump at the center of national political discourse. By framing Trump as an ongoing threat to democratic institutions, Newsom seeks to energize his own political base and position himself as a leading voice of resistance within the party. This approach, however, carries risks. Critics argue that repeated calls for the 25th Amendment without concrete evidence of incapacity diminish the seriousness of the constitutional mechanism and could backfire politically.
The White House’s sharp response underscores the sensitivity of the issue. By dismissing Newsom’s remarks as politically motivated, the administration aims to delegitimize the governor’s claims and reinforce the narrative that such calls are partisan attacks rather than genuine constitutional concerns. The confrontation also highlights the deepening divide between Democratic governors and the Trump-aligned leadership, a dynamic likely to intensify as the 2028 election cycle approaches.
Legal experts note that the 25th Amendment requires not only a determination of incapacity but also a political process that involves the vice president and the cabinet. Given the current composition of the executive branch, the likelihood of such a move succeeding is virtually nonexistent. Still, the symbolic weight of the conversation continues to shape public perceptions of presidential fitness and the limits of executive power.
**Fontes**
This article is based on publicly available information from the Office of the Governor of California, the White House Press Office, and reports from major news agencies including the Associated Press and Reuters.