Presidential Line of Succession

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The Presidential Line of Succession charts who is to succeed to the presidency in the event of the death or removal of the incumbent president. There are currently 16 individuals in the line of succession, as it includes the Vice President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, President pro tempore of the Senate and then the Presidential Cabinet.

Of the 16 individuals, two are excluded: Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and Secretary of Labor Elaine Choao are non-national citizens. The highest office a non-national citizen can obtain in the United States is Secretary of State.

Events have happened where the Line of Succession was used: various Vice Presidents have risen to the presidency upon the death or assassination of the incumbent. Most recently, Gerald Ford assumed the presidency upon the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974.

In the event of an important occasion at which many senior government officials would be present (such as an inauguration), one particular senior member is chosen at random and kept in a secret location in the event of an attack that would kill those present at the event. This individual is called the Designated Survivor.

The Presidential Line of Succession as of 2008 is as follows:

  • 1. Vice President of the United States (Dick Cheney)
  • 2. Speaker of the House of Representatives (Nancy Pelosi)
  • 3. President pro tempore of the Senate (Harry Reid)
  • 4. Secretary of State (Condoleezza Rice)
  • 5. Secretary of the Treasury (Henry Paulson)
  • 6. Secretary of Defense (Robert Gates)
  • 7. Attorney General (Michael Mukasey)
  • 8. Secretary of the Interior (Dirk Kempthorne)
  • 9. Secretary of Agriculture (Ed Schafer)
  • NA Secretary of Commerce (Carlos Gutierrez)
  • NA Secretary of Labor (Elaine Chao)
  • 10. Secretary of Health and Human Services (Mike Leavitt)
  • 11. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Steve Preston)
  • 12. Secretary of Transportation (Mary Peters)
  • 13. Secretary of Energy (Samuel Bodman)
  • 14. Secretary of Education (Margaret Spellings)
  • 15. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (James Peake)
  • 16. Secretary of Homeland Security (Michael Chertoff)
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