Tis NFD's favorite question and rabbit hole I don't think we've ever truly figured out...
Was there somebody else in the chopper besides the pilots? Yes. Video indicated as much, albeit without ever gettinf a clear shot of the man's face.
Is there any military officer who ranks higher than the Commander in Chief? No.
Who is the Commander in Chief? POTUS.
So how can Donald Trump both be POTUS and thus Commander in Chief, and also be saluting a superior officer? He cannot.
Therefore, a reasonable conclusion, the only reasonable conclusion, is that when Donald Trump was saluting whoever was in the chopper, he was NOT actually POTUS and whoever he was saluting, was.
How was that made to be? 25th Amendment.
Who then, was POTUS? VP, Speaker, President Pro Tempore. Etc etc? That's the line of succession... although, neither Speaker nor PPT can actually be POTUS because neither is an OFFICER of the USA. So constitutionally speaking, after VP then next eligible down the list of the statute is actually.... Sec of State... who was... Mike Pompeo... a former military (and CIA) man... who better to lead the Military during the "most complex military operations' ever?
Added food for thought, per the 25th, the VP doesn't HAVE to accept becoming POTUS, and declining to do so, would not render them no longer VP. So technically, had Trump 25th'd himself, Pence could have declined, remained VP, and Pompeo have become acting POTUS.
Another interesting historical tidbit about the Constitution and presidential succession. Originally, the Framers intended for there to be special elections to replace POTUS should he die or be removed from office. Whoever was elevated during the vacancy was only ACTING POTUS "until a new president be elected." The Presidential Succession Act of 1792 set up the process for such special elections. One would think if in case of double vacancy, there would be ACTING POTUS, the same would apply in case of single vacancy. VP was only to be ACTING POTUS, temporarily, until a new POTUS was elected. And thus John Tyler, his Ascendancy, illegally made himself POTUS...
Tis NFD's favorite question and rabbit hole I don't think we've ever truly figured out...
Was there somebody else in the chopper besides the pilots? Yes. Video indicated as much, albeit without ever gettinf a clear shot of the man's face.
Is there any military officer who ranks higher than the Commander in Chief? No.
Who is the Commander in Chief? POTUS.
So how can Donald Trump both be POTUS and thus Commander in Chief, and also be saluting a superior officer? He cannot.
Therefore, a reasonable conclusion, the only reasonable conclusion, is that when Donald Trump was saluting whoever was in the chopper, he was NOT actually POTUS and whoever he was saluting, was.
How was that made to be? 25th Amendment.
Who then, was POTUS? VP, Speaker, President Pro Tempore. Etc etc? That's the line of succession... although, neither Speaker nor PPT can actually be POTUS because neither is an OFFICER of the USA. So constitutionally speaking, after VP then next eligible down the list of the statute is actually.... Sec of State... who was... Mike Pompeo... a former military (and CIA) man... who better to lead the Military during the "most complex military operations' ever?
Added food for thought, per the 25th, the VP doesn't HAVE to accept becoming POTUS, and declining to do so, would not render them no longer VP. So technically, had Trump 25th'd himself, Pence could have declined, remained VP, and Pompeo have become acting POTUS.
Another interesting historical tidbit about the Constitution and presidential succession. Originally, the Framers intended for there to be special elections to replace POTUS should he die or be removed from office. Whoever was elevated during the vacancy was only ACTING POTUS "until a new president be elected." The Presidential Succession Act of 1792 set up the process for such special elections. One would think if in case of double vacancy, there would be ACTING POTUS, the same would apply in case of single vacancy. VP was only to be ACTING POTUS, temporarily, until a new POTUS was elected. And thus John Tyler, his Ascendancy, illegally made himself POTUS...