A former Republican US senator from New Hampshire is urging his state’s Congressional delegation to pass legislation that would set up a commission to determine President Trump’s mental health. If Trump were found by this commission to be unwell he could be removed from office.
Gordon Humphrey sent letters to both of New Hampshire’s US representatives and US senators, all Democrats, asking them to support HR 1987, the Oversight Commission on Presidential Capacity Act, which follows the language of the 25th Amendment and would allow for Trump to be removed from office if the commission the law creates finds him incompetent.
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Humphrey described the brinkmanship of nuclear war with North Korea as the reason why the commission needs to be established.
“President Trump’s threat to rain down “fire and fury” on North Korea is like pouring gasoline on a fire. It’s crazy,” Humphrey said in a statement. “Donald Trump is impaired by a seriously sick psyche. His sick mind and reckless conduct could consume the lives of millions. The threat of nuclear war is steeply on the rise.”
Humphrey represented New Hampshire in the US Senate from 1978 to 1990, during which time he was viewed as one of the body’s most conservative members. He has been one of the biggest Republican Trump critics in the country. He was a John Kasich delegate to the Republican National Convention last year, but eventually endorsed Hillary Clinton in the general election.
Given that Republicans control both the US House and US Senate it is unlikely that the bill Humphrey wants passed will go anywhere.
James Pindell can be reached at james.pindell@globe.com.