‘Block Mr. Trump from taking office’: Americans reject Trump’s re-election through the 14th Amendment

Protesters gathered on January 6, 2024, in commemoration of the Capitol attack and President-elect Donald Trump’s reelection, saying the 14th Amendment should bar him from returning to office.

During his speech at the rally, Craig Sicknick, one of the protestors, pleaded with Congress to block Trump’s certification. “I came here today to urge Congress to do its job and block Mr. Trump from taking office just a few short weeks from now.” Sicknick’s brother, Brian, was a Capitol Police officer who died defending the Capitol from pro-Trump during the grisly day of January 6, 2021. It has been three years, and many are left with the scars from the Capitol Attack.

Other anti-Trump protestors have called Trump an insurrectionist and claimed that he was “constitutionally disqualified” for the presidency. Section Three of the 14th Amendment states that those who’ve engaged in insurrection or rebellion are deemed unfit to serve as president of the United States. Although scores of Trump supporters were charged with felonies and misdemeanors, Trump himself has not been held liable by the courts. However, some legal scholars believe that a court order may apply Section Three of the 14th Amendment. Meanwhile, others believe it’s for Congress to decide. The mechanism is vague at best, since Section Three hasn’t been used in recent times.

There are also some protestors who believe that the election results were illegitimate. Although not all believe this, Harris herself hasn’t challenged the election results. In a video message, Harris called the election certification a “sacred obligation.”

Trump pardons in the horizon

While Americans can expect a peaceful transfer of power, Trump has promised sweeping pardons for those involved in the January 6 incident. It’s not clear if Trump intends to pardon those who’ve injured Capitol Police. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, since Trump has attempted to downplay the January 6 incident. He has also called it “a day of love” on multiple occasions.

Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com

Author

Close

Vanessa Esguerra

Vanessa Esguerra (She/They) has been a Contributing Writer for The Mary Sue since 2023. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy, she (happily) rejected law school in 2021 and has been a full-time content writer since. Vanessa is currently taking her Master's degree in Japanese Studies in hopes of deepening her understanding of the country's media culture in relation to pop culture, women, and queer people like herself. She speaks three languages but still manages to get lost in the subways of Tokyo with her clunky Japanese. Fueled by iced coffee brewed from local cafés in Metro Manila, she also regularly covers anime and video games while queuing for her next match in League of Legends.

linkedin