Trump is ‘psychologically unfit’ and nuclear button tweet is grounds for removal, says former Bush ethics lawyer

'This man should not have nukes'

Attorney Richard Painter described Donald Trump as 'psychologically unfit' to be in office (Reuters)

A former ethics lawyer for George W Bush has said Donald Trump's boast about having a “much bigger” nuclear button than North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is grounds for removal from office.

Attorney Richard Painter, who was the chief White House ethics lawyer for Mr Bush from 2005 to 2007, said the US President's recent comments raised questions about his mental state.

“Two psychologically unfit men crowing about their nukes,” he wrote on Twitter.

“This is not a good way to start the New Year.

“Congress needs to deal with one of them and the UN Security Council needs to deal with the other,” he added, referring to the US President and North Korean leader.

“This Tweet alone is grounds for removal from office under the 25th Amendment,” he wrote in another tweet. “This man should not have nukes.”

Earlier this week, Mr Trump tweeted that his nuclear button is “much bigger” and “more powerful” than that of Mr Kim, escalating the feud between the two leaders.

“North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” the President wrote.

Section 4 of the 25th Amendment means the Vice President and a majority of Mr Trump's Cabinet can write to Congress requesting the President be removed if they believe he is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office".

It reads: “Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”