Vice President Mike Pence would become interim president, although Trump would remain in office.
Like two American presidents before him, Donald Trump could temporarily cede power to his vice-president in the event of incapacity, for example during a medical intervention for the treatment of the coronavirus.
Trump said on Friday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was going into quarantine to immediately begin the recovery process.
Under Section 3 of the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1967 after the assassination of President John Kennedy in 1963, Trump could declare in writing his inability to perform his duties.
Vice President Mike Pence would become interim president, although Trump would remain in office. The president would regain his powers by declaring in writing that he is again ready to discharge them.
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment also offers a way to strip a president of power if, for example, his cabinet feels he has become incapacitated, but this has never been invoked.
SECTION 3 PREVIOUS
– On July 13, 1985, President Ronald Reagan elected to have a precancerous lesion removed after it was discovered during a colonoscopy. He signed a letter which, without specifically invoking Article 3, said he was aware of its provisions. Vice President George H.W. Bush served as interim president for nearly eight hours from 11:28 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. when Reagan issued a letter declaring himself capable of returning to office.
– On June 29, 2002, President George W. Bush invoked Section 3, temporarily transferring his powers to Vice President Dick Cheney before undergoing a colonoscopy. Cheney was interim president from 7:09 a.m. to 9:24 a.m.
– On July 21, 2007, Bush again invoked Section 3 before another colonoscopy. Cheney was interim president from 7:16 a.m. to 9:21 a.m.
SECTION 4
Under Section 4, the Vice President and a majority of Cabinet officials or “such other body as Congress may legally provide” may notify the leaders of both houses of Congress that the President “is unable to perform duties. powers and duties of office “.
In such a case, the vice-president takes over as acting president. The president resumes his duties after informing the same two congressional leaders “that there is no incapacity” unless officials in Cabinet or another body decide otherwise. Congress must then meet within 48 hours to decide the issue.
If two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate vote in their respective chambers that the president is unable to perform his or her duties, the vice president remains acting president until the next scheduled presidential election. decides on the next white. Occupant of the house. Otherwise, the president resumes his functions.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
