Over half of Americans believe Trump should be removed as president: poll

The poll, published on Sunday by ABC News/Ipsos, found that 56 per cent of respondents support his removal before Inauguration Day and 67 per cent blame Trump for the attack on January 6, which forced lawmakers to flee their chambers and left five dead.

The incident followed Trump’s “Save America Rally” in Washington, where he urged the crowd to march to the Capitol to demonstrate against Congress as they counted votes in the Electoral College and certified Joe Biden as the president-elect.

“We’re going to walk down to the Capitol,” he said. “You’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong … If you don’t fight like hell you’re not going to have a country any more.”

After the riots began, it took nearly an hour before Trump tweeted “asking for everyone at the US Capitol to remain peaceful”. Later that night, he also told protesters that he loved them and thinks they are “very special”.

A president can be removed from office by his vice-president and a majority of the cabinet, via the 25th Amendment, or by Congress, via impeachment proceedings. In the aftermath of January 6, Democrats and some Republicans have expressed support for both options.