Mike Pence ruled out invoking the 25th amendment to remove Donald Trump from office on Tuesday night after a senior House Republican said she would vote to impeach the president for his role in the US Capitol attack that left five people dead.
Mr Pence issued his declaration only hours before the House of Representatives was due to vote on a measure that would pave the way for an impeachment vote if the vice-president failed to use the constitutional provision allowing for the removal of president found unfit for office.
Mr Pence said in a letter to Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House, that he was declining to invoke the 25th amendment to the US constitution because “now is the time to heal” after the “horrific events” of last week.