Donald Trump has secured victory against Kamala Harris in the US elections 2024, and became the 47th President of the United States of America.
In 2020 US elections, Kamala Harris made history when she became the country’s first female, Black, and South Asian Vice President under Biden Administration. But Did You Know? Kamala Harris has been the first woman President of the USA, briefly. This was a historic moment that often gets overlooked moment.
Interestingly, it was comedian Hasan Minhaj who has humorously pointed it out on The View that Harris had, in fact, already held the title of “president” for that short period. Minhaj joked, “While Uncle Joe was getting butt surgery, Kamala Auntie was in the Oval Office with her fingers all over the nuclear codes.”
Here’s what exactly happened!
On November 19, 2021, Kamala Harris made history by briefly holding presidential power in the United States, becoming the first woman to do so.
While President Joe Biden underwent a routine colonoscopy that required anesthesia, Harris took on the role of acting president for 85 minutes, managing responsibilities from her office in the West Wing.
This transfer of power followed the procedure set by the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines that if a president is temporarily unable to perform their duties, the vice president steps in. Before being sedated, Biden sent a formal letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy, temporarily handing over authority. After his procedure, he sent a second letter to resume his presidential responsibilities.
President Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, issued a statement afterward, describing Biden as “healthy” and “vigorous.” A benign polyp was removed during the colonoscopy, and while Biden’s gait showed signs of age-related stiffness, he was considered fit for duty. Biden, who turned 79 the next day, is the oldest sitting U.S. president—a factor contributing to public interest in his health.
Not New In US History
This occasion, while short, isn’t entirely new. For instance, former Vice President Dick Cheney assumed presidential power temporarily when President George W. Bush underwent colonoscopies in 2002 and 2007. However, Harris’s brief time in power represents the first instance of a woman stepping into the role in American history. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted that this event would likely inspire young women nationwide.
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