Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday said he doesn’t “recall” being put on alert to potentially assume the responsibilities of the presidency for a period of time when President Trump made a trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in November.
“I don’t recall being told to be on stand-by. I was informed that the president had a doctor’s appointment,” Mr. Pence said on Fox News. “Part of this job is you’re always on stand-by.”
Mr. Pence said the president is in “excellent health.”
“I’m always informed of the president’s movements, whether it was on that day or any other day,” he said. “There was nothing out of the ordinary about that moment or that day, and I just refer any other questions to the White House physician.”
A new book from New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt said Mr. Pence was put on stand-by to temporarily assume the powers of the presidency if Mr. Trump needed to undergo a procedure that required anesthesia.
The White House said at the time that Mr. Trump went to Walter Reed as part of his annual physical.
Mr. Trump on Tuesday repeatedly denied that he had a series of mini-strokes that prompted an emergency trip to Walter Reed. The White House physician also confirmed the president never experienced strokes or mini-strokes, nor has he been evaluated for them.
The speculation apparently emanated from an errant tweet from former Clinton White House spokesman Joe Lockhart — not Mr. Schmidt’s book.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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