Yellen defends Biden when grilled on 25th amendment to remove him from office: 'The president is extremely effective in meetings'

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was grilled by a Republican lawmaker complete whether furniture members person discussed invoking nan 25th Amendment to remove  President Biden from agency and astir his cognitive diminution amid questions complete nan president's fittingness to serve. 

Yellen was connected Capitol Hill to attest earlier nan House Financial Services Committee erstwhile she faced questions from New York Congressman Mike Lawler astir nan 81-year-old president's health. 

 The Treasury Secretary refused to remark connected erstwhile she past met pinch nan president saying 'those are private.' She acknowledged they person met connected a 'wide scope of issues.'

'As a furniture caput person you noticed immoderate intelligence aliases cognitive diminution successful immoderate of these meetings?' Lawler asked. 

'The president is highly effective successful nan meetings that I've been successful pinch him,' Yellen responded. 

She said those meetings includes 'many world meetings that are multi-hour.' Yellen specifically mentioned nan gathering betwixt Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Lawler pressed if that meant she was testifying she has not seen a diminution but was trim disconnected by a chap House personnel who rejected asking her a aesculapian question, noting Yellen is not a physician. 

'Have location been immoderate discussions among furniture secretaries astir invoking the  25th Amendment?' Lawler asked.

'No,' Yellen responded.

Questions complete Biden's wellness person been escalating aft his disastrous statement capacity connected June 27 wherever he stumbled done answers and mixed up his words contempt a week of preparation. 

Several House Democrats person called for nan president to not tally for reelection while immoderate Senate Democrats person expressed concerns while stopping short of asking him to driblet out. 

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson reiterated connected Tuesday that he believes invoking nan 25th Amendment 'is due here.' 

He claimed Biden is 'not up for nan task.' 

Johnson said nan House does not person nan authority to initiate specified proceedings and it is up to Vice President Kamala Harris to do so. He said he did not expect that to happen. 

The time aft nan debate, nan speaker besides said members of nan furniture should beryllium discussing Biden's removal pinch their colleagues. 

The 25th Amendment has ne'er been invoked to region a president for being incapable to fulfill nan duties of office.