JD Vance has said he is ready to take on the presidency “If God forbid, a terrible tragedy happens” to Donald Trump.
In a wide-ranging interview with USA TODAY, the vice president said he was “confident” President Trump would see out the rest of his term, but added he has had a lot of “on-the-job training”.
He also insisted to White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers Trump was in “incredibly good health”, despite recent questions about the president’s physical wellbeing.
Vance said: “He’s got incredible energy, and while most of the people who work around the President of the United States are younger than he is, I think we find that he actually is the last person who goes to sleep, he’s the last person making phone calls at night, and he’s the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning.
“Yes, terrible tragedies happen, but I feel very confident the President of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term and do great things for the American people.
“And if, God forbid, there’s a terrible tragedy, I can’t think of better on-the-job training than what I’ve gotten over the last 200 days,” he added.
According to the 25th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the vice president assumes the full title and responsibilities of the president if they die, resign, or are removed from office. There have been nine instances of a vice president succeeding their president during a term.
For example, Calvin Coolidge was vice president under Warren G. Harding and became president after Harding died suddenly on August 2, 1923.
Vance’s comments follow recent concerns over Trump’s health after visible bruising was spotted on his hands. In a later appearance, the bruising appeared to be covered up by poorly-applied makeup.
The marks first appeared last summer, when then-campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt — now White House press secretary — attributed them to Trump “constantly working and shaking hands all day, every day”.
But questions resurfaced last month after a series of photographs showed Trump’s ankles to be very swollen, prompting a memorandum from Physician to the President Dr. Sean Barbabella linking the swelling were a result of “chronic venous insufficiency,” which he called a “benign and common condition” for someone of Trump’s age.
Earlier this month, President Trump Vance as his heir apparent while praising a number of cabinet members that continue the MAGA project into 2028.
Trump was asked by Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy who would lead MAGA in the next presidential race.
“This weekend, Secretary of State Rubio said that he thought JD Vance would be a great nominee. You could clear the entire Republican field right now. Do you agree that the heir apparent to MAGA is JD Vance?” Doocy asked.
“Well, I think most likely. In all fairness, he’s the vice president, and I think Marco is also somebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form,” Trump replied.
