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On Friday morning, Norwegian time, the message that has marked the image of international news arrived: United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania tested positive for covid-19.
It comes shortly after Trump’s close adviser Hope Hicks tested positive. She went with Trump to an election rally in Duluth, Minnesota, on Wednesday. Hicks was also with the president for the first presidential debate on Tuesday.
After news broke of the proven Trump and Melania cases, speculation has already begun about how this could affect the election.
If Trump is out of action, of course, Vice President Mike Pence will step up and take his place, but what happens if they both get sick?
– The risk increases dramatically
Unclear legislation
US law does not provide a clear answer to this question.
If Trump and Pence die, President and Democrat Nancy Pelosi is the next person in line to assume the presidency. But if they got seriously ill, it would be much more complicated.
– It would end immediately in court, and they had to decide very quickly what to do. Because not knowing who the president is, even for just a few hours, could be extremely dangerous for the country, Michigan State University law professor Brian Kalt previously told Bloomberg.
The rules on who assumes power in a situation such as the one described were last updated in 1947. They state that if both the president and vice president are “unable” to perform the task, it will be the Speaker of the House of Representatives who will assume the role. position.
The problem, however, is that it has not been decided what it means to be “out of position.”
Thus, in theory, Nancy Pelosi, who is a Democrat, can proclaim herself president, although Trump and Pence believe they are capable of governing, Kalt explained.
– It can be the most dangerous moment
– Extra complicated
– In principle, a situation may arise in which both Trump and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi with the constitution in hand claim that they are the legitimate president. Or even Mike Pence, to make it more complicated, Norce Research Center Principal Investigator Hilmar Mjelde told Dagbladet in August.
Mjelde then added that the solution can be as simple as it is difficult.
– You can make a new law that solves the problem. But Congress has not been able to make laws in the normal way in 30 or 40 years, he said.
The principal investigator pointed out two main challenges: The US Constitution is a vague document and does not take into account the political divisions of the parties.
– At the same time, the vagueness of the constitution is an important reason why it has survived since 1789, he said and continued:
– These have been problems since the president [James] Garfield was shot in 1881 and was in a coma for 80 days. And president [Woodrow] Wilson suffered a stroke and was bedridden for the last 18 months of second period. [i 1919/20]. In fact, eight of the 45 presidents of the United States have died as president.
