In our history eight presidents have died in office, four by natural causes (Harrison, Taylor, Harding and Roosevelt), four assassinated (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy) and one resigned (Nixon). After the assassination of President Kennedy questions arose about presidential succession and Congress amended the Constitution adding the 25th Amendment dealing with presidential succession including succession in the event of a presidential disability.
After the first presidential debate questions arose whether President Biden was cognitively impaired, had his age simply slowed his cognitive functions, was he still able to carry out the “powers and duties of his office?” Only the Vice President could initiate the provisions of the 25th Amendment; however, the issue so impacted the election, and under extreme pressure from within the democratic leadership Biden withdrew his candidacy.
What does the 25th Amendment say about the removal of a president?
A key section deals with the question of a presidential disability, not defined, simply says, “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office…”
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Strong words: The Vice President and a majority of the cabinet or “such other body as Congress may by law provide ,,,” can determine that the president is unable to discharge his powers and duties” the Vice President “shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office.”
The President can challenge the actions,
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
The myriad questions are “what ifs ,,,” and “unanswerable,” but let’s try.
The only person who can initiate the provisions of the 25th Amendment is the Vice President, JD Vance.
And who knows as Trump’s actions become increasingly bizarre and dangerous, is he driving the world into an economic collapse, or, a nuclear war? Is he cognitively impaired?
Leaders need role models and Trump is clearly following in the footsteps of one of the greatest of all leaders, Cleopatra. Stacy Schiff writes,
LET’S say you can’t readily lay your hands on “Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun” or those of Winnie the Pooh. And let’s say the political mood around you is bleak; gridlock is the order of the day. Why not turn to a different management guru, a woman who left some 2,000-year-old teachable moments, each of them enduring and essential?
At 18, Cleopatra VII inherited the most lucrative enterprise in existence, the envy of her world. Everyone for miles around worked for her. Anything they grew or manufactured enriched her coffers. She had the administrative apparatus and the miles of paperwork to prove it.
From the moment she woke she wrangled with military and managerial decisions. The crush of state business consumed her day. Partisan interests threatened to trip her up at every turn; she observed enough court intrigue to make a Medici blush. To complicate matters, she was highly vulnerable to a hostile takeover. Oh, and she looked very little like the other statesmen with whom she did business.
Herewith her leadership secrets, a papyrus primer for modern-day Washington:
Obliterate your rivals. Co-opting the competition is good. Eliminating it is better. Cleopatra made quick work of her siblings, which sounds uncouth. As Plutarch noted, however, such behavior was axiomatic among sovereigns. It happened in the best of families.
The royal rules for dispensing with blood relatives were as inflexible as those of geometry. Cleopatra lost one brother in her civil war against him; allegedly poisoned a second; arranged the murder of her surviving sister. She thereafter reigned supreme.
Trump has spent the first year of his regency eliminating his rivals or perceived rivals. His recent televised cabinet meeting, members fawning, prostrating themselves at the feet of their leader, any hint, any aroma of disloyalty punished.
The televised cabinet meeting showed the cabinet members, the vassals swearing oaths of homage and fealty, nothing seems to have changed in 1500 years, the rest of us, the serfs, groveling to scrape together adequate lives.
JD Vance, the Vice President can’t be fired, and, as Vance hints at his readiness to assume the presidency he must be rankiling the current Caesar, who, as the Caesar of yore, suggested he should become dictator for life.
Trump can’t be happy with a Vance comment, especially since Trump is planning at least a third term,
Vice President JD Vance is adamant that President Donald Trump’s health is not slipping—but if it does, he says he is ready to step in.
Asked by USA Today about assuming the presidency before the term ends, Vance, 41, said he has received “good on-the-job training” in the last seven months that has prepared him to take over from Trump, 79.
But the former Ohio senator, who did not hold public office before 2023, does not think that day is imminent.
“The president is in incredibly good health,” Vance insisted to USA Today. “He’s got incredible energy.”
While the lords knelt in the presence of the king the plotting behind the scenes was vigorous and, neither Cleopatra nor Caesar’s lives ended well.
For Trump. perhaps, et tu, VD
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 