This is cnn breaking news. It is the top of the hour. Im kate bolduan. Thank you so much for joining us. For years, Vice President mike pence was president Donald Trumps most loyal righthand man. But this week may have changed everything. Cnn is now learning that the two men have no tt spoken since wednesdays attack on the capitol. And that pence now isnt ruling out an effort to use the 25th amendment to remove the president from office. But sources, also, say that the Vice President s team is concerned that making this rare and extraordinary move could cause the president to act out, and do something that could put the nation at risk. The relationship between the two soured after trump tried to get the Vice President to overturn the Election Results in congress. Calling him out on the stage, before that riot played out. And obviously, this is something that pence cant do, and he had made clear that he could not do. And add to that, the president has done nothing to denounce this. The
Reckoning is looming. An article of impeachment is expected monday unless the president resigns, of course. Even some republicans say he went too far. I have to say i do think the president s behavior this week does disqualify him from serving, but weve got ten days left, 11 days left. He is not going to be serving after that time. One of the things that im concerned about frankly is whether the house would completely politicize something. I do think the president committed impeachable offenses but i dont know what is going to land on the senate floor, if anything. Now, the lives of Vice President pence, his family and u. S. Lawmakers were imperiled by wednesdays riot. Sources telling cnn the president and pence havent spoken since that day. Extraordinary. Weve also learned that pence will attend joe bidens inauguration and he has also reserved the right to invoke the 25th amendment as a last resort. Five people died in the carnage including a Capitol Hill Police officer yet the white
The table, thats in case the president becomes more unstable. Another source says that they have not even spoken since the attack. The other option of course is impeachment. A House Democrat leading that effort says the article against the president for incitement of insurrection has 180 democratic cosponsors. The plan is to introduce that resolution tomorrow. The big question at this point is the timeline. Republican senator pat toomey says the president , quote, committed impeachable offenses, but he doesnt think its possible or practical to force him out at this point. Weve got a lot to get to with cnn White House Reporter Sarah Westwood who is in washington for us. Aire Vice President pence, donald trump arent speaking, the 25th amendment apparently is now being floated, but any possibility is open. What do we know about the state of things in the west wing right now . Reporter well, good mornin. , things in the west wing are strained right now to say the least with the tensions be