Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen confirmed on Tuesday that there have been no discussions among Cabinet members regarding the invocation of the 25th Amendment following a contentious debate that raised concerns about President Biden's age and mental acuity.
During her testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, Yellen was asked if Cabinet members had considered invoking the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, to which she responded with a definitive 'No.' The 25th Amendment allows the vice president and a majority of Cabinet secretaries to declare the president unfit to serve, leading to the immediate transfer of power to the vice president.
If a president challenges such a declaration, the decision ultimately rests with Congress, requiring a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate for the president to remain in office. It is worth noting that the 25th Amendment has never been invoked in U.S. history.
President Biden's performance in a recent debate with former President Donald Trump has raised widespread concerns about his age, health, and memory. Despite calls from some Democrats for him to withdraw from the race, Biden, who is 81 years old, has stated that he will not step aside and has challenged Democrats to contest his candidacy at the convention.
Yellen, however, stood by the president when questioned by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., about any signs of mental or cognitive decline she may have observed during meetings with him. She emphasized that in her experience, the president has been highly effective in various meetings, including lengthy international discussions with leaders such as Chinese President Xi Jinping.
