![]() There is nothing in the law or the Constitution, moreover, that dictates who would actually decide to invoke the Presidential Succession Act if both the president and vice president become incapacitated, said Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. And, should Vice President Mike Pence also fall ill, the 25th Amendment does not outline who is next in the chain of command. ![]() If Trump becomes incapacitated due to complications from the coronavirus, it could be for an unknown or an extended time period. But in previous scenarios, the transfer of power was to some extent pre-planned and had clear time limits. Bush performed the duties of the presidency for roughly eight hours while President Ronald Reagan underwent colon surgery.īut today, the rules governing a temporary transfer of power remain anything but clear, former officials say, with sweeping implications not only for governing the United States but also American national security.Īfter the announcement of Trump’s diagnosis early Friday morning, the White House counsel would normally begin drafting a letter in case of a transfer of power, said one former White House official. Bush transferred authority temporarily to Vice President Dick Cheney for a few hours each time while he underwent routine colonoscopies. It allows for temporary transfers of authority, such as in 20 when President George W. To a large extent, Covid-19 remains a mysterious disease, with uncertain long-term consequences and a penchant for taking sudden, violent lurches for the worse in its hosts.Īnd the 25th Amendment, a rough map for replacing a president should he die, resign, or become disabled in some way, provides some answers - but not all. Questions are swirling about what happens if President Donald Trump, a man not known for his probity or transparency, becomes incapacitated. ![]() His doctor insists he is well, while anonymous officials whisper to reporters that he might not be. Sixty-two years after Eisenhower’s letter, another American leader is in the hospital, and the circumstances around his condition are equally murky.
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