Order of Presidential Succession

America’s Leadership Continuity Plan

In the United States, the presidential line of succession establishes who assumes the presidency if the president dies, resigns, is removed from office, or becomes unable to perform their duties. This system, developed over centuries, ensures governmental continuity during crisis or transition.

Constitutional Foundation and Historical Development

The Presidential Succession Act traces its origins to Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the U.S. Constitution, which empowers Congress to establish a line of succession. The current succession order primarily stems from the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, with amendments in 1965 and 2006 refining the process.

Before 1947, succession placed the Secretary of State next after the Vice President. President Harry Truman advocated for including elected officials before appointed cabinet members, arguing that unelected officials shouldn’t automatically assume the presidency.

The Current Presidential Line of Succession

The complete line of presidential succession follows this order:

1. Vice President – First in line and the only successor who assumes the presidency rather than acting as president
2. Speaker of the House of Representatives – Second in line and first among congressional leadership
3. President Pro Tempore of the Senate – Typically the most senior senator of the majority party
4. Secretary of State – First of the Cabinet officials in succession
5. Secretary of the Treasury
6. Secretary of Defense
7. Attorney General
8. Secretary of the Interior
9. Secretary of Agriculture
10. Secretary of Commerce
11. Secretary of Labor
12. Secretary of Health and Human Services
13. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
14. Secretary of Transportation
15. Secretary of Energy
16. Secretary of Education
17. Secretary of Veterans Affairs
18. Secretary of Homeland Security

Cabinet positions appear in succession order based on when their departments were established, not their perceived importance.

Constitutional Requirements and Limitations

To assume the presidency, successors must meet the same constitutional requirements as any president:

• Be a natural-born U.S. citizen
• Be at least 35 years old
• Have resided in the United States for at least 14 years

Additionally, the succession law prevents foreign-born cabinet members from assuming the presidency. If someone in the line of succession doesn’t meet these criteria, they are skipped.

Succession in Practice

Throughout American history, the presidential succession has been activated nine times due to presidential deaths and twice through resignations. Most recently, Vice President Gerald Ford became president after Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

The 25th Amendment and Temporary Succession

The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, clarified procedures for temporary transfers of power. Section 3 allows presidents to temporarily transfer power to the vice president during planned incapacity (such as medical procedures), while Section 4 establishes a mechanism for removing an unwilling president deemed unable to perform their duties.

The Designated Survivor Protocol

During State of the Union addresses and other events where most succession officials gather together, one eligible cabinet member—the “designated survivor”—remains in a secure, undisclosed location. This precaution ensures government continuity in case of catastrophic events affecting the Capitol.

This protocol inspired the popular television series Designated Survivor, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Thomas Kirkman, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. In the show’s dramatic premise, Kirkman suddenly becomes president after an explosion destroys the Capitol during the State of the Union address, killing the president and everyone ahead of him in the succession line. The series explores the challenges faced by an unprepared cabinet member thrust into the presidency during a national crisis, dramatizing the real-world implications of this continuity of government protocol.

Criticisms and Reform Proposals

Some constitutional scholars have questioned the constitutionality of including congressional leaders in the line of succession, arguing that they don’t qualify as “officers” as specified in the Constitution. Others have proposed reforms to address scenarios where multiple officials become incapacitated simultaneously or to reconsider the succession order based on modern governmental roles.