The List of GOP Voices Calling for Donald Trump's Removal Is Growing

A growing number of Republicans are calling for President Donald Trump to step down or be removed from office following the Capitol riot on Wednesday.

Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger was the first Republican to seek Trump's removal publicly, but he was soon followed by other GOP critics of the president.

Some lawmakers have left the door open to supporting Trump's removal if the correct circumstances arise, including Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), once a loyal defender of the president.

"Here's the truth. The president caused this. The president is unfit and the president is unwell. And the president now must relinquish control of the executive branch voluntarily or involuntarily," Kinzinger said in a video posted to Twitter on Thursday.

"All indications are that the president has become unmoored, not just from his duty, nor even his oath, but from reality itself," he went on.

"It's for this reason that I call for the vice president and members of the Cabinet to ensure the next few weeks are safe for the American people and that we have a sane captain on the ship."

"It's time to invoke the 25th Amendment and to end this nightmare," Kinzinger said.

The 25th Amendment allows the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to strip the president of his powers, but it remains unclear if this will be invoked. The Democratic congressional leadership have said they will support impeachment if it becomes necessary.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who has been a frequent critic of the president, joined Kinzinger in arguing for Trump's removal on Thursday. Hogan has sometimes been talked about as a future GOP presidential candidate.

"I think that there's no question that America would be better off if the president would resign or be removed from office," Hogan said. He called for Vice President Mike Pence to lead the transition to a Biden presidency.

"We need leadership right now and we need to stop all this craziness," he said.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, another critic of the president, said on Thursday that Trump should step down immediately.

"I think people should pursue whatever they believe will make it possible—through the most expeditious way possible—for the president to step down and for the vice president to assume the powers of the office for the next 14 days so that an orderly transition can take place," Baker said.

Some Republicans have stopped short of urging Trump's removal, but have suggested they would accept the use of the 25th Amendment under certain unspecified conditions.

Graham told reporters on Thursday that removing Trump was inappropriate "at this point," but added: "Now, if something else happens, all options would be on the table."

Freshman Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina called Trump's rhetoric "dangerous to our nation" and was asked whether she would support removing him through the 25th Amendment or impeachment.

"Anything presented to me, I will look at the facts and make that decision," Mace said.

Ohio Congressman Steve Stivers told Spectrum News on Thursday that he would follow the Cabinet's lead on the 25th Amendment, but appeared to rule out impeachment.

"I don't know anything about the president's mental state or any of that," Stivers said. "The Cabinet decides on the 25th Amendment and, if the Cabinet decided to do that, I would not oppose it."

"If the Cabinet decided to do something on the 25th Amendment, they know what's going on much better than I do, day to day, and where things stand," he went on.

"I do not believe that an impeachment can happen in 13 days," Stivers added.

President-elect Joe Biden will take the oath of office at noon on January 20.