U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech at a joint press conference with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
President Joe Biden will briefly transfer power to Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday while he is undergoing routine colonoscopy anesthesia, making her the first woman in American history to hold presidential power.
Biden is undergoing an annual medical check-up at the Walter Reed Military Hospital outside Washington. Harris is the first woman to serve as Vice President of the United States; in the country’s nearly 250-year history, no woman has ever served as President.
White House spokesperson Jane Pasaki said in a statement: “In accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Constitution, President Biden will transfer power to the Vice President within a short period of time when the Vice President is under anesthesia.”
“During this time, the vice president will work in her office in the west wing,” Psaki said.
The power of the President had previously been transferred to the Vice President, when President George W. Bush underwent colonoscopy in 2002 and 2007.
Biden, who will turn 79 on Saturday, is the oldest person to serve as President of the United States. Although there has been speculation about whether he will run for re-election in 2024, he expressed his hope to seek a second four-year term with Harris.
Biden promised to be more transparent about his health than his predecessor Donald Trump. The Republican visited Walter Reid in 2019 for an undisclosed reason. Former press secretary Stephanie Grisham later revealed that it was for colonoscopy.
Don’t miss a story. Choose from our newsletter Send the news you want directly to your inbox.
We live in a world where facts and fiction are blurred
In uncertain times, you need news that you can trust.Just for R75 per month, You can access a world of in-depth analysis, investigative news, popular opinions, and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today.
