Pelosi says she spoke to Gen. Milley about protecting nuclear codes from Trump

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Democrats including Pelosi, Schumer call for the VP to invoke the 25th amendment

Lawmakers call for the removal of President Trump from office; constitutional law expert Mark Smith with insight.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she has spoken to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley about protecting the nuclear codes from an "unhinged president." 

Pelosi said she spoke to Milley Friday morning "to discuss available precautions for preventing an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike."

"The situation of this unhinged President could not be more dangerous," the speaker continued in a statement to colleagues. 

Fox News’ request for comment from the Joint Chiefs of Staff was not immediately returned. 

Pelosi is meeting with Democratic House colleagues Friday to discuss potential impeachment proceedings against President Trump. She said if the president does not leave the office immediately, Congress "will proceed" with articles of impeachment. The California Democrat said she is still awaiting a call back from Vice President Mike Pence about invoking the 25th Amendment to relieve Trump of the presidency.

TRUMP SAYS HE 'WILL NOT BE GOING' TO BIDEN'S INAUGURATION

Sources in the vice president’s office told Fox News that Pence opposes calls to invoke the 25th. 

Trump is set to leave office on Jan. 20 when President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated, a fact he acknowledged publicly for the first time Thursday. 

If the House were to impeach the president for the second time and the Senate convicted him, he would be barred from holding the presidency ever again. 

After a protest at the Capitol building escalated into a riot that sent lawmakers into hiding and left five dead in the aftermath, the president was left alienated by even his staunchest allies. Two Cabinet members and a slew of other administration officials submitted their resignation in protest. 

Lawmakers from both major parties have called for Trump to be removed from office, either through 25th Amendment powers or a second impeachment – though it is unlikely Congress would be able to get a second impeachment and trial done before Jan. 20.

Trump, before his supporters barricaded through police and breached the Capitol, promised he would "never give up" and "never concede" vowing to "stop the steal" as he renewed pressure on Pence to decertify the results. 

And as the Capitol remained on lockdown and police were clearing out rioters, Trump wrote on Twitter the riot had been a result of his "landslide victory" being "viciously stripped away from great patriots."

TRUMP SAYS HIS SUPPORTERS WILL STILL HAVE A 'GIANT VOICE,' AND WON'T BE 'DISRESPECTED' 

"These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long," Trump tweeted. "Go home with love & peace." 

He added: "Remember this day forever!" 

The president's tweet came shortly after he posted a video message to Twitter, addressing supporters, saying: "I know your pain, I know your hurt."

"We had an election that was stolen from us," Trump said from the White House. "It was a landslide election and everyone knows it, especially the other side."

He added: "But you have to go home now. We have to have peace, we have to have law and order we have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anyone hurt."

Trump had earlier told rioters "we love you and you’re very special" but "go home and go home in peace."

After he was locked out of his Twitter account for 12 hours, Trump released a message condemning the rioters.

"Like all Americans, I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem," Trump said, adding that he had "immediately" deployed the National Guard. 

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"Emotions are high now, but tempers must be cooled and calm restored," the president continued. "We must get on with the business of America. My campaign rigorously pursued every legal avenue to contest the election results. My only goal was to ensure the integrity of the vote." 

Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.