What does Article 25 of the Constitution prohibit?

Asked by: Loma Quitzon  |  Last update: February 14, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (61 votes)

Article 25 of the U.S. Constitution doesn't prohibit things; instead, the 25th Amendment provides procedures for presidential disability and succession, detailing how the Vice President takes over if a President is unable to serve, resigns, or dies, and outlines steps for filling a VP vacancy, ensuring smooth transitions of executive power. It establishes processes for temporary transfer, involuntary removal (with Congress's involvement), and filling a Vice Presidential vacancy, clarifying succession beyond the original Constitution's ambiguity.

What does Article 25 of the Constitution explain?

It established and explained the complete order of presidential succession, as well as a series of contingency plans to fill any executive vacancies. The official text is written as such: In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

What is article 25 of the Constitution?

The amendment makes it clear the vice president becomes president “in case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation.” It also allows the president and Congress to nominate and approve a new vice president when that office becomes vacant.

Who can invoke the 25th Amendment to remove a President?

The Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet (or another body Congress designates) can invoke the 25th Amendment (Section 4) to declare the President unable to serve, immediately making the VP acting president; if contested by the President, Congress must then decide, with a two-thirds vote in both houses needed to keep the VP as acting president permanently. 

Has article 25 ever been used?

Presidents have used Section 3 of the 25th Amendment four times. Each time, they have given power to their Vice Presidents for a short time because they needed to get anesthesia for medical tests or surgery. The four Acting Presidents in United States history are listed below.

David Hawkings’ Whiteboard: What’s the 25th Amendment?

25 related questions found

Who can declare the President incompetent?

A president can be declared incompetent under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, a process initiated by the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet (or another designated body) sending a written declaration to Congress, which then makes the final decision if the President contests it, requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses to remove them. This "involuntary" removal process has never been invoked, though Section 3 (voluntary transfer of power) has been used. 

Which president did not use the Bible to take the oath of office?

Several U.S. Presidents did not use a Bible for their oath, including John Quincy Adams (used a law book), Theodore Roosevelt (used no book at his first swearing-in), and Lyndon B. Johnson (used a Catholic missal), with Calvin Coolidge also noting he didn't use one, adhering to Vermont tradition. The Constitution doesn't require a Bible, allowing for these variations, often signifying a belief in secularism or responding to unique circumstances. 

Who decides if a President is disabled?

a declaration of presidential disability by the Vice President acting in agreement with a majority of the Cabinet or such other body as Congress may establish by law (disability review body), followed by assumption of the powers and duties of the presidency by the Vice President as Acting President; and.

Are there grounds to impeach Biden?

Reasons for impeachment cited by the nine resolutions varied. They included Biden's handling of illegal immigration at the United States-Mexico border, the handling of the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan, the COVID-19 eviction moratorium, and Hunter Biden's business dealings.

What three things can remove a President from office?

A President can be removed from office primarily through the constitutional process of impeachment and conviction, but also through resignation, or by invoking the 25th Amendment for inability to serve, with impeachment being the formal method for misconduct like treason, bribery, or high crimes and misdemeanors. 

Who has the power to override the President?

Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, making a bill law without the President's signature, while the Vice President and Cabinet can initiate the process under the 25th Amendment to declare the President unable to serve, and the Supreme Court can declare executive actions unconstitutional, though Congress ultimately controls impeachment. 

Why is Amendment 25 important?

The amendment provides procedures for filling a vacancy in the vice presidency and addressing presidential incapacitation—either temporary or permanent—to ensure a process for determining who maintains the duties of the presidency.

What is the purpose of Section 25?

Purpose. The purpose of section 25 is to ensure that the designated rights and freedoms of Indigenous peoples are protected where giving effect to conflicting individual Charter rights and freedoms would diminish Indigenous difference (Dickson, supra, at paragraph 117).

Who is protected under article 25?

Article 25

Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

What are the rights of Article 25?

Article 25 guarantees the freedom of conscience, the freedom to profess, practice and propagate religion to all citizens. considered as included in the profession of the Sikh religion. This Article provides that every religious denomination has the following rights, subject to morality, health and public order. 1.

What are criticisms of Art. 25?

The impossibility of weighing interests and harms, critics say, makes the defence unworkable in international law,100 leaving it open to the utmost subjectivism by States which are wont to consider their interest as more essential than others' interests.

Can a president go to jail if impeached?

Jump to essay-1Because criminal charges have never been filed against a sitting President, the Supreme Court has never considered a case addressing whether a sitting President could be prosecuted. The executive branch has expressed the view sitting Presidents enjoy absolute immunity from criminal prosecution.

What has Joe Biden done?

President Biden's key accomplishments include passing major legislation like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act, which invest in infrastructure, clean energy, and semiconductor manufacturing. He also signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act for gun safety, expanded healthcare access, addressed student debt, and strengthened alliances, notably in response to the war in Ukraine. 

Are there grounds to impeach Donald Trump?

Grounds asserted for impeachment have included possible violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution by accepting payments from foreign dignitaries; alleged collusion with Russia during the campaign for the 2016 United States presidential election; alleged obstruction of justice with respect to ...

Who can declare a president incompetent?

A president can be declared incompetent under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, a process initiated by the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet (or another designated body) sending a written declaration to Congress, which then makes the final decision if the President contests it, requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses to remove them. This "involuntary" removal process has never been invoked, though Section 3 (voluntary transfer of power) has been used. 

Can Barack Obama be Vice President?

Yes, former President Barack Obama could legally run for Vice President because the 22nd Amendment bars two-term presidents from being elected President again, not from serving as VP, and the 12th Amendment only stops those ineligible for President from being VP; however, constitutional scholars debate if a two-term president could succeed to the presidency from the VP role, but the general consensus is yes, he'd be eligible to serve as VP and potentially President, though it's politically complex. 

Who cannot be appointed by the President?

The correct answer is ​Chief Minister of States. In the states, the Chief Ministers are appointed by the Governor and not by the President, while the Governor is appointed by the President.

What Bible does Trump use?

The "Trump Bible" refers to the God Bless the USA Bible, a special edition featuring the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, promoted by Donald Trump and inspired by Lee Greenwood's song. It's not a new translation but a compilation including America's founding documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Pledge of Allegiance) alongside Scripture, marketed to promote Christian values in America, with copies printed in China despite Trump's "America First" stance. 

What is the Trump's oath?

Donald Trump has taken the U.S. Presidential Oath of Office twice, pledging to "faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," concluding with "so help me God," administered by the Chief Justice on both occasions (2017 and 2025). His oaths involved using family Bibles, including the historic Lincoln Bible, and marked his terms as the 45th and 47th U.S. President. 

Which presidents did not believe in God?

While no president so far has ever openly identified as an atheist, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and William Howard Taft were speculated to be atheists by their opponents during political campaigns; in addition, a survey during the first presidency of Donald Trump showed that 63% of Americans did not believe he ...