JD Vance prepared to assume presidency in case of emergency

Vice President JD Vance said he is prepared to assume the presidency if circumstances ever require it, but emphasised that President Donald Trump remains in good health and fully capable of carrying out his duties.

“Yes, terrible tragedies happen,” Vance said in an interview with USA TODAY when asked if he was ready to step in as president. “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.”

Trump, who faced two unprecedented assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign, has been under significantly heightened Secret Service protection since taking office in January.

At 41, having celebrated his birthday earlier this month, Vance is one of the youngest vice presidents in modern US history. Reflecting on his first seven months in office, he said the experience had been invaluable preparation for the demands of leadership.

“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,” Vance added.

President Trump, now 79, will be 82 by the end of his current term. Questions about his health arose in July when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt disclosed that the president had been diagnosed with “chronic venous insufficiency,” a condition causing mild swelling in his lower legs.

According to the president’s physician, the diagnosis is a “benign and common condition” among older adults, with no evidence of any serious arterial disease. The doctor also noted minor bruising on the back of Trump’s hand, attributing it to irritation from frequent handshaking combined with the daily use of aspirin as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.

Despite the public attention to his health, Vance insisted that Trump continues to show exceptional stamina and vitality.

“While most of the people that work around the president of the United States are younger than he is, I think that we find that he actually is the last person to go to sleep — he’s the last person making phone calls at night, and he’s the first person that wakes up and the first one making phone calls in the morning,” the vice president said, describing Trump as a tireless leader with “incredible good energy” and “good health.”

Asked about speculation regarding a potential 2028 presidential run, Vance laughed and said his wife, Usha, shares his pragmatic outlook.

“I think she thinks what I think, which is let’s focus on the job we have right now, let’s do as good a job as possible, and if that door opens later on, we’ll figure it out then,” Vance said.

Earlier, Axios reported that Republican Party representatives are considering Vance as a presidential candidate for the 2028 election.

By Tamilla Hasanova