Critics of President-elect Donald Trump have taken to the streets of Washington, D.C., to urge Congress to block him from taking power, citing the 14th Amendment.
Trump-Vance Transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in an emailed statement to Newsweek on Sunday afternoon that “President Trump will serve ALL Americans, even those who did not vote for him in the election. He will unify the country through success.”
Newsweek reached out to the political movement “14th Now” via email for comment on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Democrats, and others, have continued to rebuke Trump after he refused to accept the results of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory and tried to stop him from taking office through failed legal efforts. Trump continues to claim the election was stolen from him via widespread voter fraud, despite there being a lack of evidence to support such claims.
Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results culminated in the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. in a failed attempt to stop Congress from certifying the election results.
The president-elect faced state and federal charges for his alleged illegal efforts to overturn the 2020 election. However, when he won the 2024 election, the federal case was dismissed without prejudice. A separate Georgia election interference case is currently in limbo as the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia decides whether to continue litigation. Trump, meanwhile, pleaded not guilty to all charges against him and claimed the cases were politically motivated.
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What To Know
An effort is underway to urge Congress through peaceful protest to block Trump from taking office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which states, “No person shall … hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath … to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”
A political movement called “14th Now” has been holding protests in Washington, D.C., from Friday to Sunday, gathering at Franklin Park and the Lincoln Memorial.
“Donald J. Trump, an adjudicated insurrectionist, remains constitutionally DISQUALIFIED from assuming the presidency under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. Congress must honor their oaths by objecting to his electoral votes on January 6. Peacefully, WE THE PEOPLE demand that they do,” a blurb from the movement’s website reads.
This movement, however, will almost certainly not persuade Congress to object to the election results and no prominent Democrats have come out in support of it. On the contrary, they have said Trump clearly won the election and they will certify the results.
What Have the Courts Said?
In December 2023, the Colorado Supreme Court banned Trump from running for president in the state for violating Section 3 of the 14th Amendment with his alleged actions surrounding the riot.
A similar decision to ban Trump from running for office was also handed down by Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows in December 2023.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in March 2024 that states shouldn’t be able to choose who gets to run for president. They stopped short of weighing in on whether Trump engaged in insurrection.
What People Are Saying
Then-Senator Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat who is now the Senate minority leader, said on the Senate floor after Trump’s 2024 election win, “It was not the result many of us wanted. But we live in a democracy, where the will of the people is respected and followed.”
Schumer congratulated Trump on his election victory and said in his November remarks, “I hope that after last week we can put to rest the fantasy of stolen elections and rigged outcomes. Four years ago, the losing side refused to accept the will of the people, and it led to a violent insurrection at the US Capitol. This year, we will not go down that dark and violent path.”
Evan A. Davis and David M. Schulte, two experts with extensive legal experience, recently wrote an op-ed for The Hill in which they argued that Democrats would be within their rights to block Trump’s certification on grounds of “an oath-breaking insurrection” that makes Trump “ineligible to be president.”
Davis told Newsweek in an article published late last month: “I think the Dems will consider because there should be some reluctance to set aside the Constitution and because they voted to impeach and convict for inciting insurrection. We wrote the piece to encourage attention to the Constitution either by rejecting electoral votes or by a 2/3 vote to remove the disability.”
In the days that followed the riot, the House voted to impeach Trump for incitement of insurrection. The vote was 232-197 along party lines, except for 10 Republicans who supported impeachment. Trump, however, was acquitted by the Senate in February 2021. There needed to be 67 votes to convict Trump, but only 57, including 7 Republicans, found Trump guilty while 43 Republicans found him not guilty.
Schulte told Newsweek: “I think members of Congress are becoming more aware of the issue by the hour, and they’re duty-bound to consider it as guardians of the Constitution. How they’ll react remains to be seen, both Democrats and Republicans. They’ve all taken the same oath of office.”
Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign manager and his pick for White House communications director, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, following the publication of The Hill op-ed, “Oh look. Democrats want to steal the election and invalidate the will of the American people. Threat to Democracy.”
Eric Trump, the second-eldest son of Trump, wrote on X at the time, “You people are sick.” He included a link to the op-ed.
What Happens Next
Congress will meet on Monday to hold a session to review and certify the votes for the 2024 presidential election. Nerves will remain high after the events of 2021, but Democrats have shown no willingness to block certification.
Update 1/5/25, 1:25 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Trump’s transition team.
