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O'Brien: Trump transferring power is not on the table "at this point"

President Trump handing the powers of the presidency to Vice President Pence is "not something that's on the table at this point," White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

Driving the news: The president "feels very well" and will remain at Walter Reed hospital, where he has been since Friday, for "at least another period of time," O'Brien said.

  • This comes after White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told Fox News on Saturday night: "[H]e's made unbelievable improvements from yesterday morning, when I know a number of us, the doctor and I, were very concerned. ... He had a fever and a blood oxygen level that dropped rapidly."

O'Brien acknowledged the possibility of Trump's condition deteriorating "just like it could happen to anybody, but we're prepared."

  • "We have a great vice president. We have a government that is steady."
  • "The government's doing well, the president's doing well, and I'm not going to address hypotheticals, but we have plans for everything."

How it works: Under the 25th Amendment, the vice president has authority to step in if the president gives written notice to congressional leadership that he is unable to discharge the power and duties of his office.

  • President Reagan briefly handed his duties to Vice President George H.W. Bush when he went under anesthesia for a precancerous colon procedure. President Bush transferred his authorities to Vice President Cheney in 2002 and 2007, both during colonoscopies.
  • "If both the president and vice president are very sick but functioning, they can delegate decisions to subordinates," Jonathan Turley, a professor of law at George Washington University, told Axios' Hans Nichols early Friday.
  • "Actual succession under the 25th Amendment only kicks in with an effective vacancy due to death or complete incapacity," Turley said.

Go deeper: A look at the presidential chain of command

Go deeper

Rebecca Falconer
Updated Jan 11, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Pelosi says House "will proceed" with Trump impeachment action

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a press conference on Capitol Hill Thursday. Photo: Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) outlined plans Sunday to move ahead with legislation to impeach President Trump over last week's siege at the U.S. capitol.

Driving the news: Pelosi said in a letter to Democrats the House will on Monday work to pass a resolution designed to press Vice President Mike Pence to "convene and mobilize the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment to declare the President incapable of executing the duties of his office."

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Rebecca Falconer
Updated Jan 12, 2021 - Health

Third lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19 after Capitol Hill siege

Schneider. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Three Democratic lawmakers have announced they've tested positive for COVID-19 after sheltering with maskless colleagues during last week's siege at the U.S. Capitol.

Driving the news: Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) said wrote in a statement Tuesday that he has tested positive for the virus after the attack last week, during which he had to shelter in a crowded space with other lawmakers.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Rebecca Falconer
Jan 12, 2021 - Health

WHO warns world won't achieve coronavirus herd immunity in 2021

World Health Organization chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

World Health Organization chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan warned Monday herd immunity is unlikely to be achieved this year despite COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out.

The big picture: Mass coronavirus vaccinations are under way in the U.S. and across the world. Moderna said Monday its vaccine would provide immunity against the virus for at least a year. But Swaminathan told a briefing even if immunity "happens in a couple of pockets, in a few countries, it’s not going to protect people across the world" in 2021. "It takes time to scale the production of doses," she said.