Fact Finders: Can the president fire the vice president?
A president could make life very uncomfortable and unpleasant for an unwanted vice president.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Vice President Kamala Harris met with the French President today. She’s on a mission to mend relations with France. And one of our viewers has a question about the vice presidency; “Can a president fire the vice president for gross negligence of their duties?”
The U-S Senate defines the job this way; The vice president of the United States is the president of the Senate. So, the vice president has the sole power to break a tie vote in the Senate.
And, as you know from recent history, the vice president also presides over the receiving and counting of electoral ballots cast in presidential elections.
Missouri State University Associate Professor of Political Science Kevin Pybas tells us there are ways to remove a vice president.
“The vice presidency is a constitutional office. It’s not appointed. And it’s not a cabinet-level office where the president has appointed the vice president. I mean, the President selects the vice president as a running mate,” explained Pybas. “But constitutionally, the vice president’s term is for four years now. And the way to remove them is through impeachment.”
Pybas tells us a president could make life very uncomfortable and unpleasant for an unwanted vice president. And, then appeal for them to resign.
But, to answer the question, we’re going to say NO. A president cannot fire a vice president.
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