Can we build a topological qubit in 2025?

Recently a lot of attention has been given to the prospects of a realization of a topological qubit based on Majorana Zero Modes. In relation to this, I will critically examine the so-called topological gap protocol (TGP). I will demonstrate that the TGP is not a reliable diagnostic tool for the presence of topological superconductivity and associated Majorana Zero Modes. Moreover, I will show that this protocol is also an unreliable method to detect a superconducting gap, a prerequisite for readout of a well-defined parity in a superconductor and the proposed basis of a putative topological qubit. Based on these insights, I will show that any kind of topological qubit is not possible in the near term.