US Capitol violence: Donald Trump faces calls for removal from office after chaos in Washington DC

New Delhi: After the near riot-like situation at the Capitol Hill in US on Thursday that led to the death of four persons, calls for the impeachment of President Donald Trump has grown stronger, for a second time in his presidency.

Trump has to vacate the White House by January 20 which is when the transition of power is expected.

Hours after the US Senate certified Democrat Joe Biden as the next US President, Trump conceded defeat, grudgingly, and hinted at a possible return for the 2024 presidency. 

The top Democrats in Congress, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, have called on Vice President Mike Pence and Trump`s Cabinet to use the US Constitution to remove Trump for "his incitement of insurrection."

The 25th Amendment allows a majority of the Cabinet to remove a president from power if he is unable to discharge the duties of the office.

But a Pence adviser said the vice president, who would have to lead any such effort, was opposed to using the amendment to oust Trump from the White House, reported Reuters.

Though, Pelosi has signaled that she would likely reconvene the House to initiate impeachment proceedings against Trump for his role in Wednesday`s violence. The House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, whose committee would likely draft any articles of impeachment, had earlier voiced his support in the matter.

However, it was not clear whether the House Democrats would have enough time to initiate and complete impeachment proceedings.

Though there are other methods that can be opted for Trump's removal as US president before the end of his term.

Apart from the above mentioned way, another possibility is about voluntary or unavoidable absence of the president like in case of the assassination of John F Kennedy and when Ronald Reagan and George W Bush were admitted to hospital for treatment.

The other possibilityis impeachment, which means holding the president guilty on charges of high crime or misdemeanour by the House of Representatives. If the Lower House impeaches a US president, the matter goes before the Senate which needs to vote for removing the president from his office.

Notably, Trump has faced impeachment proceedings before in December 2019. Trump had pressured the president of Ukraine to investigate Biden, but the Republican-controlled Senate acquitted him of charges of abusing power and obstructing Congress. 

In a dramatic turn of events, the US Capitol Hill was stormed by sititng President Donald Trump's supporters on Wednesday. The supporters clashed with the police, removed barricades, broke glass panes and trashed the House.