Calls for Biden impeachment or resignation grow amid fall of Afghanistan, chaotic U.S. exit

With President Biden's job approval ratings plummeting amid the Taliban's swift takeover of Afghanistan in the wake of a chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country after 20 years, a growing number of Republicans are calling for his removal from office, either by resignation or impeachment. 

As CNBC reported, in early May Biden's job approval was at 54% in the 538 polling average, and by Tuesday of this week it had fallen to 47%, the lowest it's been.

The polls make clear that it was not the decision to withdraw that changed public opinion, but rather how it was implemented. The issues ranged from Biden's assurances that the Taliban were unable to rapidly take control of the country, to the premature abandonment of Bagram Air Base, to bowing to the Taliban timeline for full U.S. withdrawal, and allowing the Taliban to man the checkpoints leading into the airport in Kabul. 

Former President Donald Trump called for Biden to "resign in disgrace" even before the suicide bombing attack at the Kabul airport on Thursday. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), a Senate colleague and friend of the former Delaware senator, said on Tuesday that Biden's impeachment is in order. “I think he should be impeached,” Graham said on Newsmax-TV. 

"I think Joe Biden deserves to be impeached because he's abandoned thousands of Afghans who fought with us and he's going to abandon some American citizens because he capitulated to the Taliban to a 31 August deadline," he added.

Rep. Byron Donalds, an African-American congressman from Florida, called on Biden to resign.

"Calling on the leader of the free world to resign his office immediately weighs heavy on my heart, but this must happen to restore American's safety both at home and abroad, our honor, and faith in the Chief Executive to faithfully execute the duties of the Presidency," the Naples Republican wrote on Facebook.

In an extended statement released by his office, he said: "It has become clear that President Biden has lost complete and total confidence of the American people through his haphazard decision to withdraw from Afghanistan ... This botched withdrawal is currently threatening the lives of our servicemen and women, the stability in the region, and our integrity on the global stage." 

Florida Sen. Rick Scott has called on Biden's Cabinet to explore removing Biden using the 25th Amendment.

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley cited the deadly airport bombing in demanding the president's resignation. "To say that today's loss of American lives in Kabul is sickening does not begin to do justice to what has happened," he tweeted Thursday. "It is enraging. And Joe Biden is responsible. It is now clear beyond all doubt that he has neither the capacity nor the will to lead. He must resign."

Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and U.N. ambassador under President Trump tweeted: "Should Biden step down or be removed for his handling of Afghanistan? Yes. But that would leave us with Kamala Harris which would be ten times worse. God help us."

Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee called for Biden to resign along with the vice president, the secretary of state, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin and General Milley should all resign or face impeachment and removal from office," she said.

There have even been articles of impeachment filed to remove Secretary of State Blinken from office. 

A number of House members have called for Biden to resign or be impeached, including Greg Steube (Fla.), Ronny Jackson (Texas), Michael Cloud (Texas), Claudia Tenney (N.Y.), Tom Rice (S.C.), Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Roger Williams (Texas).

With a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, impeachment is a nonstarter politically unless the GOP regains control of the chamber in the 2022 midterm elections.