Thus Harris became the first woman to hold the office of President of the United States, if only for a short time. The White House said Biden left for Walter Reed Medical Center this morning for a routine medical exam, including a bowel examination. This means a complete stupor and therefore his powers are temporarily transferred to his deputy. This is Biden’s first routine check since he became president.

“The vice president will be working from her office in the West Wing,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. The West Wing also houses the office of the President of the United States, or the so-called Oval Office.

Following the investigation, the White House will communicate about the health of Biden, who will celebrate his 79th birthday on Saturday.

Twenty-fifth Amendment

The Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows the vice president to assume the duties of president if the latter is deemed unfit to serve. Harris is the third Vice President to temporarily take over as President. In 1985, Vice President George HW Bush took office as President Ronald Reagan for an eight-hour period. In 2002 and 2007, Vice President Dick Cheney had to replace then-President George W. Bush, both times by barely two hours. In all three cases, the president underwent a bowel examination.

Earlier this year, former President Donald Trump’s former spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham claimed that Biden’s predecessor also underwent a colonoscopy in 2019, but hid the procedure so as not to hand power to then-Vice President Mike Pence.