Donald Trump will return to the Oval Office on January 20, the day he's sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. While January 20, roughly 11 weeks after the country went to polls and elected its leader for the next four years, is the inauguration day, many wonder what happens if the president-elect is unable to attend the ceremony.
The presidential inauguration marks the formal assumption of office by the new president. However, the period between the election and the inauguration can leave space for unexpected occurrences, and in such cases, the Constitution outlines clear procedures to follow.
What happens if the US President-elect fails to attend his/her inauguration?
If a president-elect is unable to take office, the responsibility to lead the country would be passed to the vice president-elect, the US Constitution states. This rule ensures continuity of leadership in unforeseen situations.
More specifically, section 3 of the 20th Amendment provides clarification on such matters. It states, "If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified."
Has a US President-elect ever failed to attend his inauguration ceremony?
While no such precedent exists, history offers a few instances where sitting presidents were incapacitated or died during their tenure. This includes the assassination attempt on James Garfield in 1881, which left him incapacitated until his death a few months later. Following his death, then Vice President Chester Arthur assumed the presidency.
Similarly, in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke, leaving him bedridden for several weeks. During his recovery, Vice President Thomas Marshall chaired cabinet meetings but refrained from making significant decisions.
Another example is the rapid succession of Lyndon Johnson, who was sworn in within hours of John F Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963.
In March 1981, an assassination attempt left President Ronald Reagan temporarily incapacitated. At that time, then-Vice President George HW Bush was in Texas. While he was informed of the President's condition, concerns arose over secure communication between Bush and the White House staff. As a result, the 25th Amendment was not invoked, and Secretary of State Alexander Haig took charge, managing affairs until Bush returned to Washington.
