President and First Lady Test Positive for COVID

President Trump and the First Lady, Melania Trump, both test positive for COVID-19.

What are the ramifications for the country, the campaign, as we pray for a quick recovery for the President and First Lady? We'll talk about that today on JSecula Live. Live from Washington, DC.

JSecula Live. Phone lines are open for your questions right now. Call 1-800-684-3110.

That's 1-800-684-3110. And now, your host, Jordan Secula. All right folks, as you know, it's not breaking news at this point. The news broke late last night. Actually, depending on where you are in the country, it could have been late last night, it could have been just after midnight, that the President and First Lady have tested positive for the coronavirus. That they are experiencing mild symptoms and right now are going to, you know, be quarantining at the White House. The President is still, his physician said, still able to conduct his job as President of the United States as much of it's been conducted from the White House and during a time of the pandemic. And so, we'll discuss that. We will discuss, of course, the ramifications it can have to, and not to shed light or not focus on the seriousness, potentially, of this.

But also, as we know, some people get this and they have mild symptoms and recover quickly. That's what we, you know, pray the President, First Lady, I think everybody should because he's leading the country, he's the leader of the free world regardless of who you think should be President in the next election. And this was someone that I know there was always talk about his rallies and his events, but remember, to be near the President you had to get a COVID test. To be around the President, and he talked about that. He said, I have a mask, but everybody around me has to get COVID tests, including even as late as the Tuesday debate at the Cleveland Clinic where everybody was tested for the COVID.

So this had to happen between, sometime between Tuesday and, of course, Thursday last night. And so, again, and still the President, when Hope Hicks tested positive, someone again close to the President on the campaign team and traveling with the President, and that came out the day before. So they knew that there was likely someone that had interacted with the President and First Lady who tested positive.

And I just kind of see it this way. This is a President who has had to continue to run the country, made peace deals, had those world leaders here at the White House, everyone was tested, people get tested before, has done it as safe as possible while also campaigning to be for a Presidential election, has had to do it as after what happened at Tulsa, reevaluated how to do their campaign events, decided to do them outside, mostly airport hangars with distancing. And again, I think that we've seen world leaders.

In fact, you had the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, you had Brazil's President, you had the Honduran President, the Belarus President, the Bolivian interim President, the Guatemalan President, Dominican Republic, Prince Albert of Monaco, the Senior Vice President of Iran, India's a Vice President, former Israeli Health Minister, the South African Defense Minister, the South African Mineral Resources Minister, South African Labor Minister, the Sudan Vice President, the Vice President of Gambia, Russian Prime Minister in Nigeria, the President's Chief of Staff, Foreign Minister and Governors, Prime Minister of Armenia, and the EU's Chief Brexit Negotiator. So people that have had to continue to interact like the President of the United States because they are government leaders have had positive COVID tests come back. We do know that the President has some symptoms, that this is not asymptomatic.

And so I'd call on everybody to pray for the President of the United States, the First Lady, his family who's being tested as well. And again, we will talk about what this means because this obviously has an impact on the election, his ability to campaign. And some are already saying, well, does it have an impact on his ability to govern? We'll talk about that in the second half hour of the broadcast, but we want to take your calls as well, 1-800-684-3110, because the President is still in his office as President of the United States.

He can still sign legislation, like if there was COVID relief legislation to his desk, conducted business by phone, I mean, conducted by television, he can do a lot of ways to still be engaged. But certainly this has shaken things up. And it I'm sure shakes up, you know, a lot of us, you know, when our President comes down with stuff like this, we'll take your calls, we get back 1-800-684-3110. The challenges facing Americans are substantial at a time when our values, our freedoms, our constitutional rights are under attack. It's more important than ever to stand with the American Center for Law and Justice. For decades now, the ACLJ has been on the front lines protecting your freedoms, defending your rights in courts, in Congress and in the public arena.

And we have an exceptional track record of success. But here's the bottom line, we could not do our work without your support. We remain committed to protecting your religious and constitutional freedoms. That remains our top priority, especially now during these challenging times. The American Center for Law and Justice is on your side.

If you're already a member, thank you. And if you're not, well, this is the perfect time to stand with us at ACLJ.org, where you can learn more about our life changing work. Become a member today, ACLJ.org.

Only when a society can agree that the most vulnerable and voiceless deserve to be protected, is there any hope for that culture to survive. And that's exactly what you are saying when you stand with the American Center for Law and Justice to defend the right to life. We've created a free, powerful publication offering a panoramic view of the ACLJ's battle for the unborn.

It's called Mission Life. It will show you how you are personally impacting the pro-life battle through your support. And the publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases, how we're fighting for the rights of pro-life activists, the ramifications of Roe v. Wade 40 years later, Planned Parenthood's role in the abortion industry, and what Obamacare means to the pro-life movement. Discover the many ways your membership with the ACLJ is empowering the right to life. Request your free copy of Mission Life today online at ACLJ.org slash gift. Welcome back to Jay Sanchio Live.

This is Jordan Sanchio. We are taking your phone calls 1-800-684-3110. So as you know, President Trump and the First Lady, Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19. And of course, others that were around them are taking tests now too. We knew Hope Hicks, who was a senior advisor on the Trump campaign and used to be at the White House, tested positive the day before that had come out. And we also know the RNC chair, Rona McDaniel, has tested positive. So the chair of the Republican National Committee has tested positive, the President and the First Lady. The Vice President tested negative, so did Mrs. Pence as well. And so it seems like it was involved in these kind of like post-debate days and the couple days in between where there were some events, and then the President was in New Jersey. So I'm sure there's a lot of people being tested. But again, I want to take your phone calls on this because it is serious for the country, potentially.

1-800-684-3110, if you want to talk to us, 1-800-684-3110 for two reasons. One, it is serious because we are 32 days away from the Presidential election. And this means that the President, for at least the next probably two weeks, will not be able to campaign the way he was doing. And he was trying to do it safely for him, and he had everybody near him got COVID tests. Everybody at the debate had to get a COVID test that was immediate, so it was as of that moment. So I think that, again, that he did what he could do to keep himself as safe as possible while still being President of the United States, putting peace deals together between Israel and Bahrain and Israel and the UAE.

Remember those events with the Prime Ministers and leaders from those countries gathered at the White House. He still tried to campaign. He was trying to put on a full campaign for President as best you can during a pandemic. He even pulled out his mask during the debate and said, when I need it, I wear it. But oftentimes I don't because everyone around me is being tested.

It shows you again that the ability that no one is totally immune from receiving this, obviously we all know that, but that even if you take all those safety measures, they're all recommendations and they don't prevent everything and they don't prevent every possibility. The second issue, and I know it's on the mind of some people, though the President is certainly in charge now, is that what would happen if the President got sicker? We're going to talk about that hypothetically in the second half hour of the broadcast so that you know, so that you can answer that question about the Vice President if you need. Oftentimes if a President has to have like a medical procedure where there's anesthesia involved, the Vice President quickly takes over. They use the 25th Amendment to do that. This of course would be something different because if the COVID-19 symptoms went from mild to more severe and then required hospitalization, that doesn't necessarily mean you've got to invoke the 25th Amendment though. It'd be whether or not you are incapacitated, even if it's for a moment of time, you know, an hour during a routine procedure. So again, we're going to talk through that as well.

1-800-684-3110, that's 1-800-684-3110. What we've heard so far from the White House and Mark Meadows is that they're mild symptoms, so it's not an asymptomatic test. There are symptoms here. And the First Lady tweeted, we're feeling good.

I have postponed my upcoming engagements. We will all get through this together. The President tweeted that they will begin their quarantine and recovery process immediately. That was last night, very late last night if you're on the East Coast.

And if you're on the West Coast, you probably saw that earlier in your evening. But it is obviously shaking up the world, shaking up the country, and it is not something, I mean, you wish on anyone, obviously, even if you were against the President. Joe Biden with a nice statement about it, cut right to the choice about, you know, just wishing them the best and hoping that they recover quickly. But of course, it puts things, we are in the midst of a Presidential campaign.

I want to go to Thamben in Washington, D.C. We're in the midst of a Presidential campaign. We've got COVID relief teetering in Washington, D.C. The President could easily in this situation still sign that, and his staff can still be very active in that process. But on the campaign side, oh, so we just heard Senator Mike Lee has tested positive for COVID. They were not testing THAN members of Congress.

They were traveling back and forth. So if they weren't showing signs or symptoms, they were not being tested like those who surround the President. But he must have been in contact and, or he got, was not feeling good.

So he just put out a statement. So I feel like Washington, D.C. is about to get tested, and we're going to hear a lot more people who may be than asymptomatic or experiencing very mild symptoms come back with a positive test. I think that's highly likely, Jordan. A lot of these senators and members do have their own testing protocol, depending on their own travel procedure.

I don't know what Senator Mike Lee's was, but I don't think it's terribly surprising that he's had a result. Jordan, maybe before I make a comment, I would just add my thoughts on the comment. I would just add my thoughts and prayers to yours for the President, for the First Lady, for Hope Hicks, for Ronna McDaniel. I know there are a few outliers out there who maybe aren't sending condolences. Jordan, look, this is obviously a very scary virus that does not discriminate. And anybody who contracts it, I wish a speedy recovery, too.

I think it's also a reminder to be smart and to take precautions. Like you said, look, that's more difficult for the President of the United States. He has a job to do. He has to continue to govern, and he has done so.

He probably was at greater risk than some others, but we do wish them a speedy recovery. Jordan, I would say I know we're going to talk about the 25th Amendment and, you know, if there ever were a need to invoke something like that, how that would work. But I just want to assure people, as it stands right now in 2020, the President, as he is right now, is fully capable of fulfilling his duties as President of the United States.

You mentioned the COVID relief package. I know we're going to get into that a little bit more. I think Speaker Pelosi has actually sabotaged that a little. But if it were to pass, Jordan, of course he could sign it from where he sits. And the other question I think we're going to probably get a lot is, what about the Supreme Court process?

Jordan, I mean, we've talked about that on this broadcast. The President has fulfilled his duty under Article II in that process. That duty now fully lies in the United States Senate.

There is nothing about this diagnosis, Jordan, that slows that procedure down. And Leader McConnell has said, we're going to proceed as planned. Those hearings will go forward beginning on the 12th.

Yeah, I want to play for folks. And we're going to start taking your calls, a lot of people with phone calls. Mark Meadows, the White House Chief of Staff, commented this morning about the President, kind of how he's feeling, how he's doing. I know Mitch McConnell has put out a statement as well.

He was on the phone with the President, like Thanh was saying. He made the nomination to the Supreme Court. He doesn't have to take any other action there. It's all within the hands of the Senate. If they get the confirmation done, she serves on the Supreme Court. He doesn't have to, it's not like even legislation doesn't sign anything. But even if it was like legislation, that can be done obviously for where the President is quarantining the White House and be done safely and effectively. But I want to play Mark Meadows for everybody at the White House Chief of Staff.

Take a listen. As all of you know, the President and the First Lady tested positive for COVID-19. They remain in good spirits. The President does have mild symptoms. And as we look to try to make sure that not only his health and safety and welfare is good, we continue to look at that for all of the American people.

So there you go. I mean, this is, I think the big distinction here between, like Mike Lee in his statement, you know, he was saying that he thought it was allergies. So he got tested out of caution, and he came back positive. So mild symptoms can mean something like feeling like you got your allergies or feel a little lethargic, feel a little tired, feeling like you have allergies. People that have allergies, you know what that means. It doesn't mean you don't go to work. It doesn't mean you're not productive.

Don't get up and do about your day. It's like you're bedridden with that. But then even those kind of mild symptoms, of course, you want to catch early. There are a lot of treatments now for COVID that did not exist before. And that's actually, thanks to the President and his team for getting those treatments approved.

So there's a lot of treatments for people who get diagnosed with COVID. I think that, I know we've got calls about that. I think Kit is calling from Texas Online for, hey, Kit, welcome to JCECO Live. Yes, thank you for taking my call.

My name is Ted, T-E-D. Anyway, my thoughts and prayers go up to the President and his wife. And God's got this. He's a great physician. But anyway, what type of treatment are they receiving at this point? So the White House is very transparent about this and the White House physician.

And I think we'll continue to get updates. We haven't received specifics. So they are quarantining and they're facing mild symptoms. So I don't know if they've taken things like remdesivir, those other kind of COVID fighting when people are diagnosed.

I don't know if they're at that point yet. But I do know that because he's President of the United States, you will know more about him than any other body who's ever been diagnosed with COVID. You will know if, because they're going to do constant updates, constant updates about his health. And I think he's even going to address the country. He's thinking about doing that as well later today. So you'll get to see the President and so any of those addresses.

And we're going to continue to take your phone calls. The second half hour, we'll get into the issue that if the President, some reason, the 25th Amendment needed to be invoked, what would happen with the Vice President coming in temporarily? It's not difficult to do. It's rare in the sense of anything long-term. Short-term, it happens pretty regularly in presidencies. So we'll talk about that as well.

1-800-684-3110. But remember, this doesn't stop the Supreme Court nomination. We shouldn't let it stop the Supreme Court nomination. Go to ACLJ.org, sign that petition.

We'll be right back. Prayers for the President and First Lady. Only when a society can agree that the most vulnerable and voiceless deserve to be protected, is there any hope for that culture to survive. And that's exactly what you are saying when you stand with the American Center for Law and Justice to defend the right to life. We've created a free, powerful publication offering a panoramic view of the ACLJ's battle for the unborn.

It's called Mission Life. It will show you how you are personally impacting the pro-life battle through your support. And the publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases, how we're fighting for the rights of pro-life activists, the ramifications of Roe v. Wade 40 years later, play on parenthood's role in the abortion industry, and what Obamacare means to the pro-life movement. Discover the many ways your membership with the ACLJ is empowering the right to life.

Request your free copy of Mission Life today online at ACLJ.org slash gift. The challenges facing Americans are substantial. At a time when our values, our freedoms, our constitutional rights are under attack, it's more important than ever to stand with the American Center for Law and Justice. For decades now, the ACLJ has been on the front lines, protecting your freedoms, defending your rights, in courts, in Congress, and in the public arena.

And we have an exceptional track record of success. But here's the bottom line, we could not do our work without your support. We remain committed to protecting your religious and constitutional freedoms.

That remains our top priority, especially now during these challenging times. We are committed to protecting your rights, now during these challenging times. The American Center for Law and Justice is on your side. If you're already a member, thank you. And if you're not, well, this is the perfect time to stand with us at ACLJ.org, where you can learn more about our life changing work. Become a member today.

ACLJ.org. I want to read this, because there's been a lot of nasty stuff on the internet, as you can imagine, Twitter, and even from people with verified accounts, not just like nuts out there, basically tweeting nasty stuff about the President. But Rachel Maddow, she tweeted this, God bless the President and first lady. If you pray, please pray for their speedy and complete recovery and for everyone infected everywhere. The virus is horrific and merciless.

No one would wish this, its wrath on anyone. We must get it spread under control. And so that was from a Rachel Maddow. And I think, you know, that's a very, that's the way you should respond to the President's commander in chief, as leader of the free world, commander in chief, our military. I mean, this is someone who's responsible for our safety, our security. So, and again, right now it doesn't look like it's, it's, you know, these mild symptoms.

That's great. I hope that's, that's what the President has to deal with throughout and that he's able to recover quickly. I don't know what the campaign will look like. I think I'm going to stay in Washington, DC.

We'll continue to take your phone calls at 1-800-684-3110. Second half hour, we'll get it to the 25th amendment a little because people want to talk about that. And, and by the way, vice President Biden tested negative. So it looks like the group who was there at the, it wasn't so much at the debate itself, because everybody got a test before you had to get like an armband at that debate.

It was at the Cleveland clinic. So vice President Biden has tested a negative, but he's also started to campaign more in public. So, you know, I think it's just a reminder that you've got to kind of weigh these balances and risk if when you're running for President of the United States with 32 days left in the election cycle. And this of course will likely keep the President at home for at least 14 days at least. And so that, that changes things politically. I mean, Than what do you think it's going to look like? I don't, I'm not sure we can even figure that out yet, but what will the next kind of like few weeks look like? Cause that's about all we have left in this campaign.

Yeah. First of all, good for Rachel Maddow Jordan. I agree with your head. Maybe the first time I've said that on this broadcast, that's exactly the right tone.

Look, everyone in this country is in it together. I think two things, one on the campaign, I think Joe Biden's campaign is, I mean, it's probably going to look mostly like what it has already, Jordan. I mean, he's, he's not had the, the larger events to the extent, you know, maybe that the President has and look, I, I expect if the President's symptoms, uh, do not, um, uh, do not increase Jordan, I suspect he'll probably try to find a way to do some virtual events.

Obviously that's going to be up to him and it's going to be up to his health. Uh, but a lot of my attention is going to be on what is the impact going to be on Capitol Hill specifically in the United States Senate. I mean, you're talking about a lot of people, uh, that make up the United States Senate, Jordan, that are, are in that high risk category being advanced in age. Um, obviously Senator Lee's test coming back positive today, they've obviously been doing a lot of social distancing anyway, but Jordan, if you do have a situation where a Senator or multiple senators can't make a certain votes, that does change the math on Capitol Hill.

So I think you're going to see, uh, even more increased precautions in the United States Senate, even though they have already been there. And if you did start to see multiple senators out, maybe you would see more of what you saw, uh, like leading up to the, to the Kavanaugh vote. I don't know if our listeners remember, but Lisa Murkowski was going to vote no on justice Kavanaugh. Uh, but Senator Danes could not bake it back to Washington, DC because of his daughter's wedding. Uh, so she voted President, uh, present.

She paired her vote, uh, with Senator Danes so that there would be no change in the outcome. Jordan stuff, something like that, uh, could certainly happen for votes, but again, if you do start to lose senators for certain votes, including a confirmation vote of a Supreme court justice, uh, that does change the calculation. So that's something we need to keep an eye on just a little bit. Yeah, absolutely. Um, so I mean, we definitely have to keep an eye on that because I think that with Mike Lee and probably every us center is getting a test right now. Uh, and, uh, people have interacted with the President. People have been interacting, um, you know, more and more because that's part of their job.

Uh, not everybody can, can just work from home. Uh, in fact, uh, the, the legislators have to take more risk. The President has to take more risk and, and he was, uh, probably when we say taking more risk, take had more safety precautions than any of us. You could not come near the President if you were, uh, not tested. I mean, he can speak at a rally stage.

He'd be way more than six feet away from anybody. And, and so, and then everybody around him was getting tested daily. Um, if you had a meeting at the white house, you had to do a test before. So I, you know, I think that the President, as much as people would say, well, he was not, doesn't wear a mask, this and that he had the most safety possible and still, uh, you know, is, was vulnerable. Like we all are potentially, uh, but he has a job to do that most of us don't, which is run the United States, be the leader of the free world, run the military, keep us safe.

He also has a Presidential campaign. I mean, the, the future of his presidency hangs at the balance in 32 days, you know, on November 3rd, when, when, uh, either the mail-in ballots have to be at least postmarked by, or people will go to the polls. I also think, remember the next Presidential debate is not, um, next week, but the next week be right on the line of the quarantine time.

If you were, um, that's almost like if you're exposed and like asymptomatic, if you're not, if you're, if you are exposed, it usually takes a little bit longer than two weeks. So then it could impact, certainly this could impact the next, uh, Presidential debate, which was a town hall is supposed to be a town hall kind of, uh, setups was different than the first debate town hall set up in Miami. I don't think there's any question about that. I would say that that debate is probably in question because of this, uh, look, it's all going to depend on how, uh, this runs its course with the President. I am sure Jordan, that the President, uh, will want to participate in that.

He will do everything he can to be ready to do it. And, and Jordan, especially with the town hall format, I was thinking a little bit about this this morning. It strikes me as that's probably the format that is most conducive to doing a debate virtually.

If you have to now, I don't, I don't have any idea whether or not the campaigns are open to that or whether the commission is open to it, but it would strike me as something that could be pulled off if it was necessary. But I think we've just got to take this one step at a time, as far as the debates go. I mean, the, the, the very first, uh, issue at play here is the President's health. When, uh, does he recover to the extent that this can even be considered? And Jordan, just for my money, I think you've got to get over that hurdle before you can even ask the next question. Is the President healthy enough in time to consider something like that?

And then that would be something that both campaigns would have to come together and see what they're willing to consider. All right. We're going to continue to take your phone calls 1-800-684-3110.

Let's go to Dan in DC online six day and welcome to Jay Sekio live. Hi, thanks for taking my call. I just wanted to say that, uh, I think, you know, like my brother said, uh, mama used to be praying for our President and, uh, it's in the Lord's hands, but also I wanted to say it's just a solemn reminder to us all to remember our motto in this country, which is to trust in the Lord and in all of our ways, acknowledge him.

Yeah. I mean, listen, we've got to be in prayer for our President. I think as Rachel Maddow says, if you're someone who prays, you should be praying. He's the, he's the leader of the free world. He's the commander in chief of the United States.

Um, and, uh, he sees to it that we are all safe and protected from foreign and domestic enemies. I mean, this is some of the major job and it will have impacts on the stock market as it already has. It will have impacts on the economy. Um, it will have impacts on everybody mentally. I mean, it's a Friday, but I think as this kind of settles in over the weekend, people are going to rethink reopenings. I think unfortunately, because I think a lot of reopenings have been done safely and they've been done well, school reopenings and things like that. But I think that that's going to be rethought.

And I want to take your calls though. The second half hour, we're going to bring in Harry Hutchinson and we're going to talk about, uh, if the President had to get more treatment, you know, when does the 25th amendment, because there were some people on the internet that wanted to, of course, throw that out immediately. You know, he's going to be, you know, which was gross, but let's, let's talk about it. Let's debunk myths.

Let's talk reality. Let's explain what would happen if vice President Pence, who's tested negative. And by the way, um, uh, there was a more negative testing, you know, like Kayleigh McEnany, who has a lot of interaction with the President tested negative, uh, that just came out. So again, uh, 1-800-684-3110. If you've got questions about the 25th amendment, Harry Hutchinson will be joining us. If you've got a comment, if you want to just offer your, you know, uh, prayers for the President, you can do that.

1-800-684-3110. We'll be right back. For decades now, the ACLJ has been on the front lines, protecting your freedoms, defending your rights in courts, in Congress and in the public arena. The American Center for Law and Justice is on your side. If you're already a member, thank you. And if you're not, well, this is the perfect time to stand with us at ACLJ.org, where you can learn more about our life-changing work. Become a member today.

ACLJ.org. Live from Washington, D.C., Jay Sekulow Live. And now your host, Jordan Sekulow. Welcome back to Jay Sekulow Live.

This is Jordan Sekulow. I'm sure you have heard, so I'm not breaking news to you, but in case you haven't, I think, you know, just it's somewhat shocking to hear. It's that the President and first lady have been, uh, tested positive for COVID-19 for the coronavirus and they are not asymptomatic. They're experiencing some mild symptoms. I want to read, uh, from, this is a letter from the physician to the President, Sean Connolly, a doctor and commander in the U.S. Navy, and he wrote this.

This is public. The President and first lady are both well at this time. They plan to remain at home within the White House, uh, during the, you know, the quarantine. The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch and I appreciate the support provided by some of our country's greatest medical professionals and institutions. Rest assured, I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any future developments. So that is, brings us right to, into this kind of discussion about the 25th amendment because this came up immediately, even last night, which is what if this has to be invoked. Now we hear that one thing that's interesting about this, you know, most people, they're medical, what's happening with them medically is very private. With the President, it's going to be very public.

So you're going to get updates. And the White House physician has said, the President's physician has said that. But he also said he expects the President to be carrying out his duties. So right now he doesn't expect there's going to be any disruption the President carrying out his duties. But the big question is, so what if there was, and I know many people are out there and Harry, I know just at the beginning of the second half hour, we'll get deeper into it, but we have our law set up for this. Now we have a constitutional amendment that makes it clear that if the President, you know, if you even have to go and have a test that requires anesthesia, a colonoscopy for male Presidents where it requires anesthesia, the 25th amendment gets invoked temporarily and the vice President assumes the duties of the President. Now it may only last a couple of hours, but that's done. So it can be done on a very short term scale and on a longer term scale.

Absolutely. So Congress in July 1965 ratified, I'm sorry, they passed the 25th amendment to the United States constitution. It was ratified in 1967. What's important to know is that the 25th amendment was designed to answer questions which arose because of article two, section one, clause six of the constitution, which states in case of removal of the President or his death resignation or inability to discharge his powers and duties, the office devolves to the vice President. So there were some questions that arose, particularly in connection with the death of President Harrison in 1841.

So the 25th amendment is designed to answer those questions and it has at least four sections. Section four is the most controversial and the most complicated. So there we'll go. So we're going to get into that.

We'll explain it again. And, uh, you know, we're getting news of, you know, some centers. I mean, if you basically get breaking news right now throughout, but, uh, uh, we know Joe Biden, if you're just joining us, he's tested negative Kayleigh McEnany.

You had a lot of, has a lot of interactions. White House press secretary with the President's tested negative. Mike Pompeo tested negative vice President pits at his wife test negative. Uh, but we do have the President first lady, uh, testing, uh, positive.

We've gotten members of the U S Senate. Mike Lee said he was just experiencing like allergies. Like many of us do. I do through, you know, uh, when we have, uh, seasonal changes and, uh, you know, but he thought, Hey, maybe I should get tested just to make sure. And even symptoms like that, when they say mild symptoms, it can be symptoms like that, but it impacts the campaign. I want to get your thoughts on that.

1-800-684-3110. I know it sounds weird to talk politics of this, but I mean, we got 32 days until the next President of the United States is chosen by, uh, uh, the electoral college, the American people go to vote. Uh, this could, this will certainly impact the campaign. It could impact the debate. I mean, can impact the, the, the way the President was trying to at least make it a little bit more normal where he had events and, and they were outside and things like that. But again, I want to take your calls 1-800-684-3110. It's pin top did not want to stay on our prayers for the President first lady.

We'll be right back on Jay Sekio live. The challenges facing Americans are substantial at a time when our values, our freedoms, our constitutional rights are under attack. It's more important than ever to stand with the American center for law and justice for decades. Now the ACLJ has been on the front lines, protecting your freedoms, defending your rights in courts, in Congress and in the public arena.

And we have an exceptional track record of success, but here's the bottom line. We could not do our work without your support. We remain committed to protecting your religious and constitutional freedoms. That remains our top priority, especially now during these challenging times, the American center for law and justice is on your side.

If you're already a member, thank you. And if you're not, well, this is the perfect time to stand with us at ACLJ.org, where you can learn more about our life changing work. Become a member today, ACLJ.org.

Only when a society can agree that the most vulnerable and voiceless deserve to be protected, is there any hope for that culture to survive. And that's exactly what you are saying when you stand with the American center for law and justice to defend the right to life. We've created a free powerful publication offering a panoramic view of the ACLJ's battle for the unborn.

It's called Mission Life. It will show you how you are personally impacting the pro-life battle through your support. And the publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases, how we're fighting for the rights of pro-life activists, the ramifications of Roe v. Wade 40 years later, play on parenthood's role in the abortion industry, and what Obamacare means to the pro-life movement. Discover the many ways your membership with the ACLJ is empowering the right to life. Request your free copy of Mission Life today online at ACLJ.org slash gift. Welcome back to JCEC Your Life. So we are taking your phone calls at 1-800-684-3110.

Let me just first say to be called the nation to be in prayer for the President of the United States, the first lady, it does not matter what side of the aisle you're on, what your politics are, it's the President, the first lady, it wouldn't matter who they were, but we should all be in prayer for them, for other leaders in our country who have been diagnosed, even the RNC chair, Ronald McDaniel, and Senator Mike Lee, good friend of ours, and we've seen other senators come down with this like Rand Paul and get through it and be able to recover and get back to work. And so again, I think that's part one, but I think Jada's call for North Carolina is probably hits the nail on the head the most about where the country is at this moment, especially as this kind of settles in, people might've had a, it came in late, they got up this morning, they had to kind of get their stuff going this morning, so they're kind of digesting this right now. Jada, welcome to JCEC Your Life, you're on the air. All right, hello. Hi, Jada. There you go.

You're on the air. Looks like Jada is not there. Can we check in with Jada? Let's see, because I think she's going to make a good point.

Let me go to Harry though. So 25th Amendment, people talk about it. I want to kind of just educate our listeners so they understand that if the President got sicker, we have it in place, because remember, he's President through January, regardless of the election outcomes and all of that, and maybe even be reelected, and still, this could be utilized if necessary. I don't expect it, doesn't look like his physician expects that right now.

He's saying he's going to be continuing to carry out his duties without disruption while he recovers. But we do have something in place, Harry, that makes it very simple initially to have someone assume that role as the vice President when necessary. Absolutely. That's why we have it. And since one of the main things that we have is it's one of the main reasons we have a vice President.

Absolutely. So I think it's clear beyond question that the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution provides a stable framework in which the vice President assumes the powers of the President while the President is suffering from what might be called a disability. What becomes most controversial is section four, which states that whenever the vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide transmit to the President pro tem of the Senate and the Speaker of the House their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as acting President. So we have a situation in which Vice President Pence could assume the powers of the President as acting President in at least two different provisions. Section four is the most controversial and could ultimately set up a situation in which the President fully recovers.

And then there's a contest between the judgment of the vice President and the principal officers of the executive departments and ultimately that would be decided by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress. But in a typical situation, in a normal situation, it's clear beyond question that Vice President Pence would take over in terms of becoming acting President but not the President. And then the President, when he recovers, simply resumes office and controls the government. That is the most likely scenario. I don't expect any kind of the more difficult scenarios to exist here. Vice President Pence, of course, is a man of faith, wants the President to recover.

If he got into that situation and would immediately hand back the reins and I think the cabinet as well. And I don't even know if we're going to get to that point. I just wanted you to all understand that if we needed to, it's there. So in a sense, you don't need to worry about your country being run or being run by someone from a different party.

It would stay very consistent. And that's a strong message. But I want to go to Jada because I think her question is really kind of, it goes past just the President receiving this kind of how we all deal with it. Hey, Jada, welcome to Jay Sekio Live. You're on the air. All right. Hello. Hello. Hello.

I am very big fan of the show. Thank you. So, you know, I just have a very important question. Sure. How do you think, you know, with, you know, Trump getting corona and, you know, stuff like that, how do you think we'll move on from this?

Yeah. How does the country move on? Well, I mean, you know, it's going to affect the stock market for a little bit here. It's going to affect the economy a bit. I mean, you know, with the 401ks, but so far it hasn't been horrendous, the effect, because the President is still the President. He's still there making decisions.

In fact, take a listen, Jada, to this. I think this is going to be important. One, I think we might hear from the President later today. He might address the nation. He could do that safely, of course, via video.

So that's important. That's a great thing with technology that we have now that the President could, you know, he's continuing to tweet. He's continued to stay engaged.

And then he can also address this by video. But take a listen to Mark Meadows as well, because he said even this morning it got right back to work. It's very much business as usual in the White House by seven. He continues to be not only in good spirits, but very energetic. We've talked a number of times this morning. I got the five or six things that he had tasked me to do like I do every single morning.

And he is certainly wanting to make sure that we stay engaged. And so, I mean, there you go, the chief of staff. That sounds like President Trump to me, as someone who knows him and someone's worked around him a lot, that, you know, getting tasked with those five or six things, it sounds like him. I do believe that, you know, though, to Jada's bigger point, how do you move forward?

I think, Harry, and I'll go to Thanh as well. I think we can all kind of weigh in on this. I don't think we know yet the impact of this on the country. I saw even like Byron York talking about this is that, you know, within three hours of hearing this and then this morning that we do broadcasts like this live, you know, we try to take it as much info as we can to provide to you. But it hasn't really fully set in on everybody yet. They haven't had a day with it that the President is dealing with a very dangerous potential, very, you know, can be a very dangerous virus. And sometimes it's not.

You know, sometimes it's a very weak virus and we just don't know. And so it kind of leaves people in question. We've opened a lot of schools in many parts of the country and people are trying to get things back open.

How does it impact that? I think, listen, this is not just like one person getting it. This is the President of the United States who got the most protection available. And if he's getting it, I'm sure it makes a lot of parents think twice and businesses think twice about whether their reopening plans are the right thing to do, Harry.

I think that is correct. So I think the fact that the President has contracted the virus simply adds additional uncertainty to both the markets, to the realm of politics and to the world at large. But it's very important to keep in mind that he is doing very well. So I think based on what we've heard so far, it is very unlikely that there will be any invocation of the 25th Amendment. Why?

Because the President is able to fulfill the powers and duties of his office. Yeah. I mean, I think, again, this is where it gets very important.

And, you know, I want to go to Thand Ben in Washington, DC. Thand, do you think this increases the likelihood that we get the COVID bill that has been teetering on the edge of not happening? Well, I hope so, although I think Speaker Pelosi did great damage to that last night, quite frankly, Jordan.

I mean, I would respond to Jada's question. I think this should serve as a reminder of just how serious the issues facing this country are and why we have, you know, serious disagreements on different sides of the aisle, which, by the way, Jordan, I think can be a healthy thing. I mean, robust debate, robust dissension.

There are places in the world where that's not allowed. And it's one of the pillars of strength of the United States of America that that debate can happen. But I think we do need a reminder that that debate needs to happen in a way that is actually aimed at coming to a consensus. And I look at this this COVID stimulus package debate. I mean, last night, Jordan, I think Secretary Mnuchin and Speaker Pelosi were actually pretty close to a deal. Really, the only other the big the big point of debate was whether or not the half a trillion dollars to bail out state governments would be included. Ultimately, Speaker Pelosi decided to put her own bill on the floor with that in there, which hurt the chances of a deal coming together. I hope this is a reminder to everyone involved that we should get back to serious debate.

Yes, air your serious disagreements. But ultimately, Jordan, let's not play games by putting a pill on the floor of the House that actually hurts those negotiations. I think that's what the speaker did last night. I hope she'll reconsider today. I don't know how great my hope is in that regard, Jordan. But if this isn't a reminder that real people across the country are hurting from this pandemic and a bill that most of the House and most of the Senate agree on things built around another round of stimulus checks, another round of paycheck protection, Jordan, how about we move that and send it to the President who can sign it? And we can have a debate on whether or not to bail out states at a later date. We have another segment coming up. We could take your questions, your thoughts, your comments, your prayers on the President. Also, how you think it will affect the election potentially, how you think it will affect the country. 1-800-684-3110.

That's 1-800-684-3110. Let me tell you something that could affect the Supreme Court nomination. I just saw a statement from Mitch McConnell saying how careful they're going to have to be now to make sure that there's enough senators there to get those votes through because they know they're not getting any Democrat support. So they have to take extra precautions.

He's staying that with people like Senator Mike Lee who are just going to have to quarantine and be back just in time on the Judiciary Committee. So again, a lot that this could impact. Only when a society can agree that the most vulnerable and voiceless deserve to be protected is there any hope for that culture to survive. And that's exactly what you were saying when you stand with the American Center for Law and Justice to defend the right to life. We've created a free powerful publication offering a panoramic view of the ACLJ's battle for the unborn.

It's called Mission Life. It will show you how you are personally impacting the pro-life battle through your support. And the publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases, how we're fighting for the rights of pro-life activists, the ramifications of Roe v. Wade 40 years later, playing Parenthood's role in the abortion industry, and what Obamacare means to the pro-life movement. Discover the many ways your membership with the ACLJ is empowering the right to life.

Request your free copy of Mission Life today online at ACLJ.org slash gift. The challenges facing Americans are substantial. At a time when our values, our freedoms, our constitutional rights are under attack, it's more important than ever to stand with the American Center for Law and Justice. For decades now, the ACLJ has been on the front lines protecting your freedoms, defending your rights, in courts, in Congress, and in the public arena.

And we have an exceptional track record of success. But here's the bottom line, we could not do our work without your support. We remain committed to protecting your religious and constitutional freedoms.

That remains our top priority, especially now during these challenging times. The American Center for Law and Justice is on your side. If you're already a member, thank you. And if you're not, well, this is the perfect time to stand with us at ACLJ.org, where you can learn more about our life-changing work.

Become a member today, ACLJ.org. Welcome back to Jay Sekio Live. This is Jordan Sekio. We are taking your phone calls 1-800-6847.

This is an interesting question. John in New York on Line 3. John, welcome to Jay Sekio Live. How are you doing today?

Hey, John. My question is, President Trump has a lot of campaign rallies scheduled within the next couple of weeks. Obviously, he can't do it.

He's convalescing. Can another politician take his place and stump for him, or possibly a civilian? Obviously, the Vice President and members of the Trump administration, members of the campaign.

So, yeah, there's lots of people. I mean, I don't think I could even go through the list of people who could campaign for the President. The question is, will either campaign, the Biden campaign or the Trump campaign, decide to have any large public gatherings?

Vice President Biden, former Vice President Biden, was just beginning to start having some, and they were on the smaller scale. I think, Thanh, that could certainly be affected by this. And I don't think that the decisions have yet been made. Will we see the Vice President back out on the, you know, traveling the country? Potentially. And I think some of that will be like, what does the Biden campaign do in response to this?

But I think those events are going to look a lot differently. To answer your question, there are a lot of people that can take the President's message, and the President can do as many speak, you know, do as many interviews as he'd like from the White House. He's able, I think, to do that as so long as he's feeling up to it. And it sounds like he is right now. And I believe that there was talk that he may even do that today. Yeah, I mean, on surface level, Jordan, of course, both campaigns have countless surrogates that could appear in place of either one of them, if the campaigns desire to do it.

But Jordan, I would sort of take a couple of steps back. If you go back to 2016, you know, way pre-pandemic, a lot of people thought these rallies were not that effective. I mean, it's a fairly unique thing to the current President of the United States that these type of rallies are sort of the main thrust of your campaign style. I can't think of another person who does them as effectively and who maybe it's sort of at the top of their list for tools at their disposal. So, you know, Vice President Biden has chosen not to do those, basically, Jordan, because they're not as good for him as they are for the President. Could the President send somebody out and do it in his stead? Yes, they could. But I've got to tell you, I think it would have a diminished effect. He's sort of unique in this way, Jordan. Maybe we'll have candidates in the future that will do it, but we really haven't in the past where it's been sort of the best tool in their tool belt.

So, again, I think that that's, this is interesting. Kathy on Facebook wrote, it hasn't the Senate, this is in response to the justice, the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett. She wrote, Kathy wrote, hasn't the Senate already allowed senators to participate in hearings by video conference? So, could senators like Mike Lee, who has COVID now, if he's not ready to be physically present, still be active and cast his vote on the Judiciary Committee?

That's the question. Can he vote and not be there? I know that you could interact in committee hearings and not be there, but can you vote on the committee and not be there?

Yeah, most likely not, Jordan. And I mean, you know, the Senate can make his own, their own rules. So, if they decided to change a rule for the floor of the Senate, they could.

I don't expect that to happen, Jordan. Now, I will tell you, there are some instances inside of a committee proceeding where they will allow votes by proxy. I would be a little surprised if Chairman Graham grants that for a Supreme Court hearing, although I can't rule it out. I will tell you this though, Jordan, and people need to actually understand this, the vote in the committee at the end is not dispositive.

Now, what do I mean by that? If there were several senators missing, and let's say there was a majority of those present who actually did not vote to report Justice Barrett favorably, Jordan, she would still go to the floor of the United States Senate. You can be reported out of committee favorably or unfavorably or without a recommendation. So, the important vote here is actually just going to be on the floor of the United States Senate. But I would tell you, if there are multiple senators that are not available to cast that vote, I think you will take that vote with however many senators are physically present. That's my prediction anyway. All right.

1-800-684-3110, if you want to grab, get a call in very quickly in the broadcast. It looks like it would be not likely that Mike Lee is back for a floor vote. But again, I think that the rules can be changed, things like that, and so I don't want to go too far.

I don't want to go too far with any of this. Harry, and in fact, actually, Mike Lee should be back in time for a floor vote when we looked at the dates there. So, I just want to make it clear.

But I want to get your thoughts on this, kind of final thoughts for both of you and Thanh, and I'll weigh it as well. It's a sobering time when the country hears. It does not matter what side of the aisle you're on when the country hears this about their commander-in-chief. I think that is precisely correct, and I think it is an opportunity for all Americans, whether they're Democrat or Republican, to offer prayers for President Trump.

After all, he is the duly elected President of all Americans, and so I certainly hope that is the case. I also think that it is a sobering reminder to the fact that this particular disease can interrupt the flow of our lives and the plans that we have made. And so, I think you are absolutely correct, Jordan. This is a sobering moment for all of us.

Absolutely. Thanh, your thoughts, kind of like of the day. I mean, you know, we've got a few minutes here left, but just, I mean, we need to get the COVID relief bill through. This is, I think it's like a reminder that, like, this is, this is, this is, this is something that we need to get through for the country, because no one is absolutely immune from this, even when you have the most safety protocols around you, like the President of the United States.

Yeah, and look, I actually think of a passage in Luke 22 where Jesus and Peter are talking, and Jesus tells Peter that his primary responsibility is to strengthen his brothers. Jordan, I think people of all walks of life, of all political persuasions, of all backgrounds, you know, pro-Trump, anti-Trump, pro-Biden, anti-Biden, need to come together in this moment and say, what do our brothers need? What do the people across the country need in this moment? Jordan, there are still many of them that have to keep their businesses closed. Their livelihoods are closed because of this pandemic. They need help in a very tangible way out of Washington DC, and I think, I think officials in Washington DC right now in this moment, Jordan, have an obligation to put partisan persuasions aside and look at this, this COVID relief package and say, what do the American people need? Maybe I think states need bailed out to the tune of half a trillion dollars, but that's a debate that there's a big disagreement on.

We can have that conversation later. Let's focus in very specifically on who the people who have been the most harmed by this pandemic, what do they need in this moment, Jordan? Because remember, the ball is in the court of Congress right now. The President can sign a bill as soon as it gets to his desk, but Jordan, he cannot pass that piece of legislation right now that rests with the House and the Senate, and I would encourage Secretary Mnuchin and Speaker Pelosi to get back to the negotiating table and send the President something that he can sign that would help the American people.

All right, folks, we've got a minute left here. Let me encourage you to this, be in prayer for your country, be in prayer for your Commander in Chief, the First Lady, the others that we've mentioned that have had positive COVID tests, but we know the President is experiencing symptoms in the First Lady, so he's not just an asymptomatic case. So let's be in prayer for our nation and in prayer for our Commander in Chief, regardless of what side of the aisle we're on. We tried to bring you a live broadcast today that really covered how we think this could affect things, change things, still how it could affect even the Supreme Court nomination and how it could affect the campaign and affect the economy, the country, all of that. But when it comes down to it, at the end of the day, we're all Americans, and we should be in prayer for our Commander in Chief. We will, of course, all be following this over the weekend.

This will kind of settle into the country. I think when we're back on Monday, we're going to have a better idea of kind of how things have been impacted, how people are responding, how the nation responds to the President being diagnosed, and we'll see how he kind of begins to interact with the American people as well. So be in prayer for our country, the President, the First Lady.

We will talk to you next week. For decades now, the ACLJ has been on the front lines, protecting your freedoms, defending your rights in courts, in Congress, and in the public arena. The American Center for Law and Justice is on your side. If you're already a member, thank you. And if you're not, well, this is the perfect time to stand with us at ACLJ.org, where you can learn more about our life-changing work. Become a member today. ACLJ.org.