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Will Kamala Harris become US president for a bit as Joe Biden gets root canal?
The White House said Joe Biden will “undergo a root canal this morning at the White House”.
US president Joe Biden is set to undergo a dental root canal at the White House his doctor said, after which his planned schedule was cleared. Joe Biden's physician Kevin C. O'Connor said in a statement that the president was "experiencing further discomfort" from a partially treated premolar tooth in his lower right jaw.
The White House said Joe Biden will “undergo a root canal this morning at the White House” but "will not be put under anesthesia and the 25th amendment will not be invoked."
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This means that while Joe Biden will remain conscious and able to perform his duties, without giving temporary presidential powers to vice president Kamala Harris. The procedure appeared to be unplanned, news agency AFP reported as the US president canceled a scheduled appearance at an event celebrating university athletes less than an hour before it began.
Joe Biden was also set to meet NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg later today but it remained unclear whether the meeting would go ahead. Joe Biden's health is under scrutiny as he runs for a second term in 2024. He would be 86 by the time he left office if he wins re-election.
The team "was able to perform an examination, to include X-rays, in the White House Dental Operatory. They determined that endodontic treatment (root canal) was most appropriate. Initial root canal procedure was performed at the time, with a plan for specialized endodontal follow up in the near future," his physician said, adding, that Joe Biden “tolerated the procedure well. There were no complications.”
