Joe Biden to transfer power to Kamala Harris during colonoscopy

The President will be under anaesthesia during a routine colonoscopy he will undergo as part of his annual check-up.

Vice President Kamala Harris. File

President Joe Biden will transfer power to Vice-President Kamala Harris on November 19 while he is under anaesthesia for a routine colonoscopy he will undergo as part of his annual physical check-up, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

“The Vice-President will work from her office in the West Wing during this time,” Ms. Psaki said.

Presidential power has been transferred to the Vice-President before, when President George W. Bush had colonoscopies in 2002 and 2007, and the transfer adheres to the process laid out in the Constitution, Ms. Psaki said.

Mr. Biden, who turns 79 on November 20, is the oldest person to take office as President in U.S. history. Although speculation has persisted about whether he will run for re-election in 2024, he has said he expects to seek a second term alongside Ms. Harris.