WASHINGTON D.C., DC — From the 2020 election to presidential duties, President Trump's recent COVID-19 diagnosis has raised a lot of questions about what happens next. There are contingencies in place any time a U.S. president is ill or has some other type of an emergency.
One of the biggest questions: is who would serve as president if Trump's condition worsens? Under the 25th amendment, the president can transfer power to the vice president if he knows he is too sick to carry out his duties.
There is no sign the president would have to drop out of the 2020 election. But even if that happens, the Republican National Committee would decide who would replace him on the ballot according to committee rules.
It's not clear whether the president will miss upcoming debates due to his diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control recommends quarantining for 14 days after exposure or diagnosis. The next debate isn't until Oct. 15 which would make 13 days from the date that Trump tested positive.
President Trump's team said that he plans to continue to carry out his role as president. NBC News reports that he has not yet transferred power to Vice President Pence. All campaign events have been postponed while he quarantines.