WSJ Editorial Board Calls for Trump to Resign

In an editorial published by The Wall Street Journal Thursday, the organization's editorial board deplored Wednesday's riotous breach at the U.S. Capitol. 

It also tackled the thorny question of President Donald Trump, who has drawn criticism in some quarters for inciting violence to disrupt Congress' certification of Electoral College votes for Joe Biden, and for being slow to condemn actions that resulted in vandalism, terror and five deaths so far.

Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are demanding that Mr. Trump be removed from office now — through Cabinet action under the 25th Amendment or new articles of impeachment.

In this instance, the editorial said, Trump simply ought to resign.

"There’s partisan animus at work here, but Mr. Trump’s actions on Wednesday do raise constitutional questions that aren’t casually dismissed," it said, recounting his actions earlier Wednesday, and his insistent call for rejection of electors from enough states to deny Biden victory.

"If Mr. Trump wants to avoid a second impeachment, his best path would be to take personal responsibility and resign. This would be the cleanest solution since it would immediately turn presidential duties over to (Mike) Pence. And it would give Mr. Trump agency, a la Richard Nixon, over his own fate.

This might also stem the flood of White House and Cabinet resignations that are understandable as acts of conscience but could leave the government dangerously unmanned. Robert O’Brien, the national security adviser, in particular should stay at his post."

As the editorial explains, impeachment this late in a president's term, with less than two weeks to go, would be a complex affair, and one difficult to manage after the flawed effort earlier in the president's four years.

But there's more to it than that, the Journal said, calling for resignation even as it said an act of grace by Trump seemed unlikely:

"In any case this week has probably finished him as a serious political figure. He has cost Republicans the House, the White House, and now the Senate. Worse, he has betrayed his loyal supporters by lying to them about the election and the ability of Congress and Mr. Pence to overturn it. He has refused to accept the basic bargain of democracy, which is to accept the result, win or lose."

The editorial's conclusion? 

"It is best for everyone, himself included, if he goes away quietly."