Who is the designated survivor for President Trump’s State of the Union?
When President Donald Trump delivered the State of the Union, one member of his Cabinet was kept away from the chamber to preserve the presidential line of succession. This article explains who filled that role, why the post exists and how lawmakers also name designated survivors.
Who served during the address: Doug Collins named as the designated survivor
One report identified Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins as the designated survivor during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. Collins did not attend the joint session of Congress; he was escorted to a secure, undisclosed location for the duration of the address. Collins was also tasked with the role last year, and under the Presidential Succession Act the designated survivor—provided they meet constitutional requirements—could be sworn in as president if those ahead in the line were killed or incapacitated.
Timing and the State of the Union: Tuesday evening and Feb. 24, 2026
One account described the speech as taking place on Tuesday evening, while another item records that President Donald Trump delivered the longest-ever State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026. The State of the Union gathers the president, the vice president, members of Congress, the Supreme Court and much of the Cabinet in a single location, which is why continuity measures are used.
How the designated survivor is chosen and what the role does
The designated survivor is an official in the presidential line of succession who is selected to skip a function that convenes the federal government in one place—examples include the State of the Union, inaugurations, or the President’s joint congressional address. That person is kept in a secure, undisclosed location so that the full government would not be wiped out if a catastrophic event were to occur. The U. S. Constitution does not require a designated survivor or explicitly mention the process of selecting and sequestering one, and there is no official process or protocol for how the designated survivor should be chosen. It is believed the President and/or the President’s Chief of Staff typically select the designated survivor. The designated survivor must be eligible, under the Constitution, to serve as President—that means being a natural-born American citizen and at least 35 years of age.
Lawmakers can be designated survivors; Democrats picked Mike Thompson
Congressional leaders have in recent years begun selecting lawmakers to serve as designated survivors, a practice some date to the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Those congressional-designated survivors are not tapped to potentially succeed the President, but to make sure the legislative branch could continue functioning in the event of a catastrophic incident. California Rep. Mike Thompson announced on Monday that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries chose him to serve as the Democrats’ designated survivor for the State of the Union address on Tuesday. Thompson said he would still be watching the address from a secure, undisclosed location. Democrats have tapped Thompson each year since 2020, Thompson’s communications director Lauren Ott said.
Continuity planning, public disclosure and unresolved details
The designated survivor role is part of the federal government’s continuity-of-government planning—a framework designed to ensure constitutional leadership and core operations can continue if a catastrophic attack or disaster were to incapacitate officials gathered at the Capitol. While the designated survivor has never been called upon to assume the presidency, the position remains a visible symbol of extensive security and contingency planning surrounding major national events. The identity of the designated survivor is typically made public on the day of the speech, after the individual has been safely relocated. At the same time, one account said the designated survivor for the President has not yet been revealed, while another named Doug Collins as the official who served during the address.
