Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The President's Health And His Control of Government Explained
The gravest of what-ifs has become a 鈥渨hat now?鈥: This morning, while many Americans were sleeping, President Donald Trump announced that he and the first lady have tested positive for the coronavirus. He disclosed his diagnosis in a tweet, sent at nearly 1 a.m. Eastern time: 鈥淲e will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!鈥 (Madrigal and Meyer, 10/2)
Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence have both tested negative for the coronavirus, Pence鈥檚 spokesman said Friday, hours after President Donald Trump announced he and the first lady tested positive. 鈥淎s has been routine for months, Vice President Pence is tested for COVID-19 every day,鈥 said Devin O鈥橫alley, the vice president鈥檚 press secretary, in a tweet. (Breuninger, 10/2)
Vice President Mike Pence said that he and his wife "send our love and prayers" to President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump after they both tested positive for the coronavirus. Pence said in a statement early on Friday morning: "Karen and I send our love and prayers to our dear friends President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump." (Baker, 10/2)
Like two U.S. presidents before him, Donald Trump could temporarily hand over power to his vice president should he become incapacitated, for example while undergoing a medical procedure as treatment for the coronavirus. Under Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution鈥檚 25th Amendment, adopted in 1967 following the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy, Trump could declare in writing his inability to discharge his duties. (10/2)
Under Section 4, if the president were too sick to invoke Section 3, the vice president, along with a majority of the Cabinet, can inform Congress the president is unable to carry out his role. In both instances, the vice president would undertake the role of acting president until the president were able to say he is ready to fulfil his duties once again. In the circumstance that Pence were also to become unable to fulfil the role, Pelosi as speaker of the House would be able to quit that position to then undertake it, under the scope of the Presidential Succession Act 1947.Trump has previously said it would be a "total disaster" if this were to happen. (Jarvis, 10/2)
