President Biden is getting his routine annual physical at Walter Reed Medical Center Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. Since the president’s checkup will include a colonoscopy under anesthesia, power will be briefly transferred to Vice President Kamala Harris.
“As was the case when President George W. Bush had the same procedure in 2002 and 2007, and following the process set out in the Constitution, President Biden will transfer power to the Vice President for the brief period of time when he is under anesthesia,” Psaki said. “The Vice President will work from her office in the West Wing during this time.”
The White House said in May that he would undergo his medical checkup at some point this year and that its results would be released to the public but had offered no further updates until Friday.
His last physical on record was nearly two years ago in December 2019, when he was a candidate. At the time, Mr. Biden’s doctor said he was a “healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.” The doctor did note he has an irregular heartbeat, called nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.
Mr. Biden, the country’s oldest president in history, turns 79 Saturday.
