Even if one of them is also the President of the United States, it is customary for the President and Vice President to travel together on official flights. Unless given permission by the President, they are not allowed to share a plane. The 44th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, is honoured with the name “Johnson rule” to describe this regulation.
Is it Acceptable For the President and Vice President to Travel Together On a Plane?
It is prohibited for the President and Vice President to travel together on a single flight. However, this is permitted if both the President and Vice President are on the same private jet. To be clear, even when they are physically separated by a few rows of seats, the President and Vice President are still regarded to be on the same plane.
To what extent may the President and Vice President work in tandem?
The Vice President may be invited to accompany the President on official trips. This frequently occurs on cross-country or international trips.
- At the President’s discretion, the Vice President may also accompany him on a “homecoming” visit to his home state or country.
- This occurs frequently when the President and Vice President visit the same state or country but are originally from different locations.
- There is a general rule that the Vice President is not invited on official trips with the President to states or countries with which he has no prior ties. The 1968 presidential campaign was the one and only time this was not the case. Both Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon ran for president in 1967, but Nixon ultimately won New Hampshire. Johnson invited Nixon to accompany him on a campaign tour there.
- They are frequently spotted out and about together whenever they are on the road. This does not, however, imply that they are constantly “together.” The president and vice president are not obligated to spend every waking moment together and can maintain different schedules if they so want. They may be performing duties at the White House at odd hours of the day or night, when other staff members are at work or in bed.
- When the president travels outside of Washington, D.C., the vice president may tag along, even if the trip is not for official business. This could be so they can pay a visit to the First Family or to their home state or hometown.
- In some cases, the president and vice president may travel together for the same reason, even if it takes them to a different state or country. If the president is visiting China and the vice president is also there, it’s probably for some kind of political business, like a state visit or a discussion about foreign policy.
There have been two instances where the Vice President has not been included on the passenger manifest for Air Force One. During a state visit back home, he can be identified as a government or military official.
Conclusion
In sum, the Vice President of the United States plays a crucial role in government due to the breadth and depth of the vice president’s responsibilities and the number of persons with whom the vice president interacts. At international gatherings like foreign affairs conferences, this person represents both Congress and the president.
To achieve their aims in Washington, DC, the vice president and the other members of his cabinet work closely together and have a common set of policies.
