Understanding the 25th Amendment
The 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution says if the President becomes unable to do his job, the Vice President becomes the President.
ORONO, Maine (WABI) - The 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution says if the President becomes unable to do his job, the Vice President becomes the President.
After supporters of President Trump stormed the Capitol Wednesday, lawmakers in both parties and members of the President’s own administration have discussed invoking that amendment.
We spoke with a University of Maine professor Thursday about the process.
He explains that in this situation, Vice President Mike Pence would have to call for it.
There would then need to be a majority vote of the President’s cabinet.
If the President did not contest it, his power would transition to the VP.
If he did, it would then go to a vote in the House and Senate where a two-thirds majority would be needed in each chamber.
“It’s just hard to imagine a vice president actually carrying through with it especially when we are now down to 13 days left in a presidential administration,” explained Mark Brewer. “It’s hard to imagine a vice president doing that especially one that has been as loyal as Mike Pence, but are the chances of it zero, no.”
Ratified in the 60s, the 25th Amendment has been invoked a few times in the past, primarily for health reasons like when President George W. Bush had surgery that required anesthesia.
But, the section of the amendment that addresses declaring a president unfit for office has never been invoked.
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