Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was grilled by a Republican lawmaker over whether cabinet members have discussed invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Biden from office and about his cognitive decline amid questions over the president's fitness to serve.
Yellen was on Capitol Hill to testify before the House Financial Services Committee when she faced questions from New York Congressman Mike Lawler about the 81-year-old president's health.
The Treasury Secretary refused to comment on when she last met with the president saying 'those are private.' She acknowledged they have met on a 'wide range of issues.'
'As a cabinet secretary have you noticed any mental or cognitive decline in any of these meetings?' Lawler asked.
'The president is extremely effective in the meetings that I've been in with him,' Yellen responded.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testifying before the House Financial Services Committee on July 9, 2024 where she was pressed on President Biden's health and whether cabinet members had discussed invoking the 25th amendment to remove him from office
She said those meetings includes 'many international meetings that are multi-hour.' Yellen specifically mentioned the meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Lawler pressed if that meant she was testifying she has not seen a decline but was cut off by a fellow House member who rejected asking her a medical question, noting Yellen is not a physician.
'Have there been any discussions among cabinet secretaries about invoking the 25th Amendment?' Lawler asked.
'No,' Yellen responded.
New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler brought up Biden's health and asked Secretary Yellen about invoking the 25th amendment
Questions over Biden's health have been escalating after his disastrous debate performance on June 27 where he stumbled through answers and mixed up his words despite a week of preparation.
Several House Democrats have called for the president to not run for reelection while some Senate Democrats have expressed concerns while stopping short of asking him to drop out.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson reiterated on Tuesday that he believes invoking the 25th Amendment 'is appropriate here.'
He claimed Biden is 'not up for the task.'
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson said he does believe it is 'appropriate' for invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Biden from office
Johnson said the House does not have the authority to initiate such proceedings and it is up to Vice President Kamala Harris to do so. He said he did not expect that to happen.
The day after the debate, the speaker also said members of the cabinet should be discussing Biden's removal with their colleagues.
The 25th Amendment has never been invoked to remove a president for being unable to fulfill the duties of office.
