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'President Pelosi?' Speaker urged to isolate after Trump tests positive as she'll take over if Pence falls ill

'The Speaker of The House should be protected in isolation now because it doesn't violate the rules of physics now for both the vice president and the president of the United States to get sick,' Dr Jonathan Reiner said

President Donald Trump tested positive for the novel coronavirus along with the first lady early on Friday, October 2, after former White House Communications Director and present counselor to the POTUS tested positive for the same virus. Just minutes before the test results came out, Dr Jonathan Reiner, an interventional cardiology specialist in Washington, DC, went on air to suggest that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should be under quarantine as she was next in line to step up as the acting president if such circumstances arise where both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are indisposed. 

When CNN's Don Lemon asked Reiner, "You're saying that everyone who has been in contact with Hope Hicks or in this situations should be quarantining right now?" the doctor, who had over 34 years of experience in this field, said, "Yes everyone should be quarantining right now and I'll go even further to say that the Speaker of The House should be protected in isolation now because it doesn't violate the rules of physics now for both the vice president and the president of the United States to get sick."

He added: "And the continuity of government requires that we have a clear leader and its very possible that the president and the vice president can both become sick right now. So I would limit activity for the Speaker of House and make sure that she is really isolated in a relatively sterile environment." Placing the speaker, followed by the president pro tempore in the succession and placing them ahead of cabinet members (all of whom are appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate), was former President Harry S Truman's idea. 

According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, "If, by reason of death, resignation, removal from office, inability, or failure to qualify, there is neither a President nor Vice President to discharge the powers and duties of the office of President, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, upon his resignation as Speaker and as Representative in Congress, act as President." 

Dr. Reiner's words were met with mostly hilarious reactions on Twitter who recognized the irony of the situation, especially in an election year which has already been controversial for a number of reasons. "If this whole thing ends with Nancy Pelosi becoming president, I will 100% believe that I am currently in a coma and the last four years have just been my neurons firing randomly," one wrote, while another said, "The reason this is being said is because if Trump and Pence have any issues/complications related to COVID, Nancy Pelosi is the next in line to step in as the POTUS." A third commented, "Wouldn't this just be the most delicious icing on the White house cake, for all the corruption and lies and conniving. HAHAHA crossing my fingers." 

Another remarked with a meme, "The Chain of Progression might really boil down to this." One user noted, "Not going to lie. I’m kind of digging the last few episodes of Stupid Watergate, season 4." Another person pointed out, "That would be f**king delicious irony" Yet another said, "President.... Pelosi? In 2020 literally anything is possible. If aliens drop from the sky tomorrow we'll all be like, eh."