Will Trump Face Immediate Impeachment?
President-elect Donald Trump will officially become the president of the United States on Jan. 20, but he is facing a bevy of problems that could hinder his first 100 days in the White House, including thousands of petitions calling for his immediate impeachment, at least 70 lawsuits and growing unity in the Democratic party against several of his most controversial Cabinet nominations.
Demands to reverse the 2016 presidential election results were swift following Trump’s shocking Election Day victory, with a Change.org petition urging the Electoral College to instead elect former Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton receiving over 4.9 million signatures. Since Trump won last week confirmation from the Electoral College rather handedly, petitions opposing Trump now range from supporting an immediate impeachment over the president-elect’s several international conflicts of interest, to blocking Trump’s picks for the White House administration, including potential Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Protesters holding up signs during a march and rally against the United States President-elect Donald Trump in Los Angeles, California, Dec. 18, 2016. Photo: Reuters
"Whether you are Republicans, Democrats, Independents or affiliates of other political parties, you and I need to put the pressure on Donald Trump to withdraw his consideration of Rex Tillerson as U.S. Secretary of State," Jean E. Joseph, the petition’s creator, wrote in a statement. "As much we value his private sector work, Rex Tillerson is uniquely unqualified to be the Top Diplomat of the United States of America and should be prevented from being nominated and if nominated should have the most extensive confirmation hearing following by a NO vote in the Senate." The petition has received over 50,000 signatures.
Petitions hoping to block Trump’s agenda and presidential efforts run the gamut: some demand the president-elect release his tax returns, while others call on New York State to bar funding toward Trump Tower's additional security costs, instead requesting the federal government foot the bill for the incoming billionaire’s first family. One petition titled, "No confirmations for Trump nominees until Obama’s nominee confirmed to Supreme Court," was created in the wake of the Republican candidate’s election and has received over 122,000 signatures.
Democrats are also using what little power their minority party has in the Senate to unite against several of Trump’s picks for the next White House administration. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has called Ben Carson, Trump’s choice for secretary of Housing and Urban Development, "disturbingly unqualified," while former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders has spearheaded a condemnation effort against Tillerson for secretary of state.
"Mr. Trump’s nomination of Rex Tillerson for secretary of state is sending a very troubling message of the international community," Sanders said in a statement when Trump’s nomination was announced. "Not only is Mr. Tillerson a pal of Russia’s authoritarian leader, Vladimir Putin, but he is the head of one of the largest oil companies in the world. In this appointment, Mr. Trump is making it abundantly clear that the short-term profits of the fossil fuel industry ate more important than climate change and the future of the planet. Very sad. Very dangerous. Mr. Tillerson must be opposed."
Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential election sparked a wave of protests across the country, with rallies continuing each week to show support for immigrants, Muslims and other minorities the president-elect criticized along the campaign trail. “The Women’s March,” one of the largest planned marches to protest Trump, is preparing to take place the day after Trump becomes president on Jan. 20.
There are at least 20 demonstration permits surrounding Trump’s inauguration, a sharp increase from the four or five permits usually requested during each presidential transition, the New York Times reported.
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