House Democrats introduced a bill on Tuesday to establish an independent commission that could help invoke the 25th Amendment against President Donald Trump. Led by Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, the measure aims to create a permanent 17-member Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of Office.

The legislation, backed by 50 Democratic co-sponsors, would appoint 16 members through congressional leaders: four retired executive branch officials, four physicians, and four psychiatrists from each party, with the group selecting a chair. No current elected officials or federal employees could serve. In emergencies, Congress could trigger an examination via concurrent resolution. Findings would support Vice President J.D. Vance and a majority of either the Cabinet or commission in declaring the president unable to serve, making Vance the acting president.

Raskin cited Trump's recent social media threats against Iran, including a post warning that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if demands were unmet, as evidence of erratic behavior posing national security risks. He also referenced Trump's alleged insults to the Pope and a post depicting himself as Jesus Christ. "Public trust in Donald Trump’s ability to meet the duties of his office has dropped to unprecedented lows," Raskin said, calling for Congress to fulfill its constitutional role.

The push follows Trump's escalation in the Iran conflict, where he demanded concessions, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire after the threats, which Trump defended as effective diplomacy, noting Iran's own anti-American chants. More than 80 Democrats have publicly urged Trump's Cabinet to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment directly, while others filed impeachment articles.

Republicans dismissed the bill as a partisan stunt. House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Democrats for ignoring similar concerns about President Joe Biden's fitness. The White House rejected claims of Trump's cognitive decline, calling him sharp and energetic in contrast to Biden, and labeled Raskin a "stupid person’s idea of a smart person."

The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, allows the vice president and a majority of principal Cabinet officers, or a congressional body, to declare a president unable to discharge duties. The president can contest it, requiring two-thirds of congressional votes to sustain. The passage faces steep odds in the Republican-controlled Congress, where Trump could veto it.

Senate Democrats expressed skepticism, with some calling the effort unrealistic. The bill revives Raskin's prior proposals amid ongoing foreign policy debates.