this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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So, if the president dies, the procedure is that the vice president would then become president for the remainder of the term.

But what would happen if some extremist group somehow kidnapped the president (any sitting president, so this isn't targeted towards trump specifically, although I guess for the next 4 years it would be).

Like, lets say every Monday at noon, this extremist group did a live stream somehow, showing that the president is still alive, still coherent, but ballgagged so they can't just blurt out where they are.

And lets say that nobody is able to figure out where they're broadcasting from. For years.

Would that president remain president? Or would they treat them as dead, even though they're shown to be alive, and vice president becomes president for the remainder of the term?

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[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 16 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

If the president was kidnapped by ninjas, we will send two dudes to rescue him and hope those dudes are bad enough to succeed.

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 5 points 12 hours ago

Truly, if someone were to rescue this president, I think many would consider him to be a bad dude.

[–] scarabic@lemmy.world 9 points 13 hours ago

The same thing as if he were sick or otherwise “incapacitated.” Being locked up by kidnappers incapacitates you. The VP would step up. However impractical terms the VP would absolutely downplay this, always trying to give the impression that the president will be rescued any minute now and everything will go back to normal.

[–] ImminentOrbit@lemmy.world 9 points 17 hours ago

They would send some Bad Dudes to save him.

[–] masquenox@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 14 hours ago (3 children)
[–] PoolloverNathan@programming.dev 4 points 13 hours ago

Given Trump mention, presumably the US.

[–] Walk_blesseD@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 11 hours ago

I think it's some kind of fan club???

[–] FelixCress@lemmy.world 26 points 21 hours ago (3 children)

President of what country?

[–] Walk_blesseD@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 11 hours ago

The land of the red, white and blue

(France, obviously)

[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I mean, if someone doesn't mention country, its 99% USA. Americans tend to forget the internet isn't only Americans (I'm guilty of this sometimes too 😅)

[–] TokenEffort@sh.itjust.works 6 points 17 hours ago

We represent all 50 of the countries 😂 /s

[–] Deconceptualist@lemm.ee 19 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

It's the same situation as if the president became ill or incapacitated in some way.

This has already happened ~~3~~ 4 times; once for Reagan, twice for GW Bush, and once for Biden (see comment below). In these cases it was quite brief.

[–] MimicJar@lemmy.world 11 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Since that is a slightly older article, it also happened under Joe Biden.

It also should have happened under Trump's first term, but he's a whiny bitch so it didn't.

For fun the most common cause of "incapacitated" in these cases is for a colonoscopy.

It's also worth clarifying that the 25th Amendment in these cases isn't automatic. The President essentially drafts a letter and then power is returned to them after.

However in the case of the President being kidnapped, the Cabinet & Vice President could also declare incapacity and the VP would take over.

[–] Deconceptualist@lemm.ee 2 points 17 hours ago

Thanks, correction added!

[–] serenissi@lemmy.world 4 points 17 hours ago

Totally not fbi, but will he be in that live stream this monday?

[–] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 4 points 17 hours ago

We don't negotiate with terrorists/kidnappers. VP stays. VP motivated to organize this, maybe.

[–] Know_not_Scotty_does@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Snake Plissken gets called into action.

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 3 points 23 hours ago

And a busty sidekick

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 26 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

put him in a gimp suit and cuff him to a lamp pole outside a Log Cabin Republican meeting. Just to see what happens.

Seriously, though, I suspect our would-be-kidnappers would be dead before they ever reached the prez. but the VP becomes the acting president whenever the president is incapacitated or otherwise unable to fulfill his duties, so it really doesn't matter. The VP steps up, and takes over until the president comes back. this includes for things like surgeries and such, too.

[–] wiccan2@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago

I believe that if the president is incapacitated in any way the Vice President becomes Acting President. I guess they could stay in that role until the end of the term but if expect they'd use their new power in some fashion to make it more permanent.

[–] SomeAmateur@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

You get a sick Metal Gear game

They would have an "acting" president to make decisions but if the hostage pres was freed they would be put back in charge

And welcome to the watchlist btw

[–] NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If it happens now, you would see many people out on the streets celebrating.

If it happened at another president's time, I don't know.

you would see many people out on the streets celebrating.

They wouldn't be celebrating when JD Vance blames Democrats (without any evidence) and invokes the Insurrection Act and declares martial law, declaring Democrats to be enemies of the state, with far-right militias start murdering democrats.

[–] Apepollo11@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago
[–] LordWiggle@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 3 points 15 hours ago

I had no idea Andre the Giant played the violin! Wow! Princess Brides actor, pro-wrestler, astronaut, man who drank 96 beers a night. Slept with 20 women a night, and now violin player! What an interesting guy.

[–] callouscomic@lemm.ee 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Olympus Has Fallen was kind of about this in a way.

They would temporarily swear in the next in chain of command because the president is unable to perform duties. That'd be VP and then I think Speaker of the House.

[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 21 hours ago)

Gerard Butler heroically jumps into action, rushing against the abducters, and fails, and then he hears over a radio, the voice of a dying Secret Service Agent yelling "OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN!!!", before a deafening gunshot is heard.

Then the people cheers as Morgan Freeman becomes President! (well... acting president ¯_(ツ)_/¯)

Edit: Btw, Y'all should really watch those "... Has Fallen" movies, they are very ridiculous in plot, but treat it as a comedy and its so fucking funny.

Olympus Has Fallen Spoilers

Because the North Koreans somehow flew a plane into DC without getting shot down like 12 miles from land. 🤣🤣🤣

If I flew a drone in DC, I'm going to jail. There's no fucking way. Its so bad, its actually hillarious.

Seriously, watch it, is a great comedy show!

--

[–] Squorlple@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

I am not a lawyer but this is just my read of The 25th Amendment. (Assuming normal times in which the president doesn’t command a vast cult) The 25th would probably be exercised since the president would be unable to perform his duties and discharge orders, so the Vice President would wield presidential powers without getting the title proper; this has happened before when the Prez has underwent anesthesia for routine medical procedures, but the Prez likely had written out that they would be incapacitated in advance. I don’t see anything that would apply here for the Prez to lose his title before his 4 year term expires since he wouldn’t be declared dead due to the sympathy the Gov and the People would have to rescue him. He would lose his title if the kidnappers allowed him to communicate that he is unable to fulfill his duties and discharge orders, but this might be considered invalid since it was conveyed under duress and would limit the push to rescue him.

[Edit: I could even see martial law being declared so the Gov could search civilians’ homes, etc., without reasonable cause in order to locate the Prez. We’d probably break doors down in other countries too.]

I assume I’m talking to either Nicolas Cage or Melakon?

[–] small44@lemmy.world -2 points 23 hours ago

Are you planing to do it?