# Who would a lame-duck Trump appoint as VP? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 6, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029 "2020-03-06T21:21:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/1 "2020-03-06T21:21:42Z")
We’ve already got [a thread for discussing the potential VP picks of the 2020 presidential candidates,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=891136) including Trump. (Among the running mates being discussed for Trump is Nikki Haley.) This thread poses the same question, but for a different scenario. Assume that Trump is elected to a second term, and Pence (or whoever else he happened to have chosen as his running mate) is forced to leave the office of vice president some time into the term. This could be due to death, ill health, or resignation—for the purposes of this question it doesn’t really matter. Who does Trump appoint to replace the outgoing VP? At this point, Trump will be a lame-duck president, so he no longer needs to select someone “electable”. How would the removal of this restriction influence his choice? Of course, his nominee would still need to be confirmed by Congress. Currently, the Senate has a Republican majority and the House has a Democratic majority, though I understand either of these could conceivably change for Trump’s next term. Who would Trump pick if there is no change in control of the two bodies? Who would Trump pick if both bodies end up in Republican hands, granting him much more leeway (but maybe not carte blanche)? Would Trump attempt to engage in blatant cronyism or even nepotism, and to what extent would a Republican Congress indulge this? ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/2 "2020-03-06T21:44:59Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > a lame-duck president You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/3 "2020-03-06T21:46:18Z")
Ivanka. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/4 "2020-03-06T21:57:09Z")
(double post 504-Gateway) ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/5 "2020-03-06T22:12:15Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means. Doesn’t it? I checked Wikipedia just now and it says that, generally speaking, lame-duck status can be acquired by dint of “a term limit which prevents the official from running for that particular office again”. If this isn’t how the term is typically used in American politics, then please disregard my usage of it and mentally substitute whatever term you use for officials that are ineligible for re-election. ETA: I see that in the “United States” section of the aforementioned Wikipedia article, in America the term is typically restricted to presidents serving between the November elections and the inauguration of their successor. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/6 "2020-03-06T22:24:13Z")
Also note that presidential appointees only need to be approved by the Senate. The House has no say in the matter. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/7 "2020-03-06T22:32:04Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Also note that presidential appointees only need to be approved by the Senate. The House has no say in the matter. [The 25th Amendment](https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxxv) specifically states that a Vice President must be confirmed by both houses of Congress. I suspect Trump would decided to appoint an “interim Vice President” and never submit anyone for confirmation. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/8 "2020-03-06T22:56:13Z")
Also note that presidential appointees only need to be approved by the Senate. The House has no say in the matter. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/9 "2020-03-06T23:37:57Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Also note that presidential appointees only need to be approved by the Senate. The House has no say in the matter. Nope. See previous message. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/10 "2020-03-06T23:49:57Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > [The 25th Amendment](https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxxv) specifically states that a Vice President must be confirmed by both houses of Congress. > > I suspect Trump would decided to appoint an “interim Vice President” and never submit anyone for confirmation. 😉 Seeing how the present House would never confirm anyone for VP that President Trump really wanted, an “interim VP” would all there would ever be until President Trump’s second term was over. The question is if President Trump “left the scene” for whatever reason, would this "interim VP become President or would it go to the Speaker? ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/11 "2020-03-07T00:04:44Z")
Why would the House allow Trump to install a VP? Think about it: if there’s no VP and something happened to Trump, we’d get President Nancy. And there’d be no one to break ties in the Senate. And there’d be no strong incumbent to run against in 2024. It’d be foolish to grant this boon to _this_ administration. I know it’d violate norms and set a terrible precedent, but I don’t know why only the GOP gets to play hardball. But, as much as I admire how Pelosi has handled a lot of this mess, I do admit they’d cave without enormous concessions in some “we go high” bullshit. And Trump would pick someone who was most necessary at that moment in time and most disposable in the future. I suspect Mitch would have a much, much stronger fight over VP than Nancy. He’d want a strong, competent VP to smooth legislation/executive stuff, have that tie breaker vote, have that 2024 candidate. And Trump wouldn’t want competent because competent might mean he gets 25th when he next covfefes. Pence ain’t a snitch: would a replacement be one? Maybe Graham. He’s enough of a suck up but not ambitious himself. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/12 "2020-03-07T01:28:46Z")
Lame duck means someone completing their term after a successor has been elected. Some people have been using it to mean anyone who is serving their last term - if that is by term limits or by announcing they will not seek re-election. That latter, incorrect usage could be the source of confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/13 "2020-03-07T01:43:25Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > The question is if President Trump “left the scene” for whatever reason, would this "interim VP become President or would it go to the Speaker? Trump can call anyone he wants an “interim VP” but the Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act are about as clear as legal talk can be about who’s in line. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/14 "2020-03-07T02:22:01Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Trump can call anyone he wants an “interim VP” but the Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act are about as clear as legal talk can be about who’s in line. So the orange terror names Ivanka as interim veep and House Dems angrily sue to block the appointment. Suit goes to SCOTUS. They’ll consider the case in a year or five. Right. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/15 "2020-03-07T02:57:41Z")
I’d say anyone who cannot face the voters again is a lame duck. So I would call any second term president a lame duck throughout that term. There is no such thing as an interim vice president. If the vice president dies or resigns, the president can nominate someone who would take office after each house of Congress votes to approve. Until and unless that approval happens, there is no vice president. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/16 "2020-03-07T04:05:18Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > There is no such thing as an interim vice president. If the vice president dies or resigns, the president can nominate someone who would take office after each house of Congress votes to approve. Until and unless that approval happens, there is no vice president. I agree. > [@25th Amendment](#): > > Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President **who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.** Emphasis added. The plain text makes it clear that a new VP does not take office until he or she is confirmed, and any “interim VP” would not be part of the line of succession. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/17 "2020-03-07T06:03:15Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Emphasis added. The plain text makes it clear that a new VP does not take office until he or she is confirmed, and any “interim VP” would not be part of the line of succession. Going beyond that, an interim Vice President would not have any of the other powers of the office, such as casting a tie-breaking vote in the Senate or protecting the space-time continuum. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/18 "2020-03-07T06:22:24Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > So the orange terror names Ivanka as interim veep and House Dems angrily sue to block the appointment. Suit goes to SCOTUS. They’ll consider the case in a year or five. Right. There is no such thing as an “interim veep”. There is nothing in the Constitution to support the idea of an “interim veep”. Anyone DJT appointed to that role would have no power or authority at all. As much as SCOTUS may be viewed to be politicized there is nothing to indicate they would go so far off the reservation as to support such a cockamamie idea. The Constitution is clear on the process. There is no way to bypass the House in this process. It would go nowhere and Pelosi would be second in line for the remainder of DJT’s term, unless the D’s lost the House in the 2022 midterms. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/19 "2020-03-07T06:43:08Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Ivanka. Would Congress go along with this, even if both houses were controlled by the Republicans? ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-a-lame-duck-trump-appoint-as-vp/849029/20 "2020-03-08T01:52:34Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > There is no such thing as an “interim veep”. > > There is nothing in the Constitution to support the idea of an “interim veep”. > > Anyone DJT appointed to that role would have no power or authority at all. Are those points supposed to discourage a “can-do” executive? If you can do what you want with no possibility of being bothered for a couple years, why fret? POTUS names interim veep who presides over Senate. Dem senators walk out in protest… and are grabbed by The Golden One’s gestapo as damn disloyal subversives. Disloyalty will not be tolerated. Power? Authority? Mao was right. “Political power flows from the barrel of a gun.” Who controls federal authority and power now? Who enforces judicial decisions?