House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced a bill Friday that would create a "Commission on President Capacity" to allow Congress to intervene under the 25th Amendment, which can be invoked if the president becomes physically incapable of fulfilling their role.
Why it matters: There's almost no chance of this bill ever becoming law, so it's meant more as a publicity stunt to troll President Trump — despite her claims otherwise.
- Pelosi argued on Bloomberg TV that Trump is in an "altered state" from his coronavirus treatment and that "there may be some impairment of judgment."
- His surprise car ride to visit supporters during his hospital stay last weekend drew criticism for violating CDC guidelines and potentially exposing the Secret Service agents involved to the virus.
- Reliable information about Trump's health is still scarce, despite the White House physician's claim that Trump had been symptom-free for a period of time earlier this week.
The big picture: The 25th Amendment allows for the temporary or permanent transfer of power from the president to the vice president if the president has fallen severely ill, become incapacitated or died.
- Pelosi insisted that her proposal was not about Trump specifically: "He will face the judgment of the voters. But he shows the need for us to create a process for future presidents."
