Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin is spearheading an initiative to potentially mandate a mental fitness evaluation for President Donald Trump, who is 79 years old. This effort comes in the form of a proposed bill that Raskin has introduced, which delineates a specific process for his party to follow should they seek to employ the mechanisms outlined in the 25th Amendment for presidential removal.

This proposed legislation would establish a commission tasked with evaluating the President’s capability to fulfill the duties of the office. The announcement of the bill’s provisions was made public by Raskin’s office on Tuesday, and it has quickly garnered support, with 50 Democratic House members already co-sponsoring the bill.

Raskin’s actions follow his recent public appeal to the President’s physician, requesting a cognitive assessment for Trump. This appeal was rooted in growing concerns about the President’s mental acuity.

In a letter addressed to Captain Sean P. Barbabella, the Physician to the President, Raskin highlighted the urgency of the situation. “Experts have consistently raised alarms regarding the President’s behavior, noting it aligns with symptoms of dementia and cognitive decline,” Raskin wrote last week.

He further elaborated on his concerns in an April 10 letter, pointing out that “recently, the nation has witnessed President Trump’s public discourse becoming increasingly disjointed, erratic, profane, and menacing.”

‘And in recent days, the country has watched President Trump’s public statements and outbursts turn increasingly incoherent, volatile, profane, deranged, and threatening,’ Raskin stated in the April 10 letter.

The Maryland Democrat pointed to Trump’s foul-mouthed tirade aimed at Iranian leaders dished out on Easter morning, where he told them to ‘Open the F***in’ Strait, you crazy b******s,’ before praising ‘Allah.’ 

Raskin also mentioned the President’s behavior at the Easter Egg Roll, where he gave a graphic Iran war update to an audience filled with children. 

The congressman also referenced some of Trump’s apparent health challenges, including the bruising on his hand. 

The White House has said the near-constant blemish is due to Trump’s aspirin use and frequent handshaking. 

Trump’s most recent physical was conducted last April, supplemented in December with Barbabella’s reasoning for requesting advanced imaging, which the White House doctor described as ‘preventative.’ 

Since Raskin’s initial letter, Trump has riled up his base by reposting an image where he appeared as Jesus. 

He told reporters Monday afternoon that he thought the picture portrayed him as a ‘doctor making people feel better.’ 

Raskin’s bill would establish a bipartisan commission made up of two appointees chosen by the House Speaker, House Minority Leader, Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader. 

Another four former ‘high-ranking executive branch’ appointees – including vice presidents and ex-Cabinet officials – would be chosen by Democrats, and another four would be appointed by Republicans.  

The 16 commissioners would then choose another individual to serve as chair.  

The group would ‘carry out a medical examination of the President to determine whether the President is mentally or physically unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office.’ 

Raskin’s bill won’t see the light of day unless Democrats take control of Congress after the November midterms and still could be derailed by a Senate filibuster. 

But it draws attention to some of Trump’s recent behavior. 

It also calls back to concerns about former President Joe Biden, who dropped his reelection bid in July 2024 over fears about his mental competency. 

Trump was even older than Biden when he was sworn in for his second term in January 2025. 

But the White House argued that the contrast between the two men continues to be ‘stark.’ 

‘Lightweight Jamie Raskin is a stupid person’s idea of a smart person,’ White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Mail in a statement. 

‘President Trump’s sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats like Raskin intentionally covered up Joe Biden’s serious mental and physical decline from the American people,’ Ingle added.