Who Is the Designated Survivor? What to Know About the Designated Survivors for the State of the Union

In the run-up to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union, questions about who will be kept away as the designated survivor have taken center stage: the role, how it is chosen, recent names tapped and what the job actually guarantees in a crisis.

Who is the designated survivor for President Trump’s State of the Union address?

Before the address, the designated survivor for the President had not yet been revealed. Separately, 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 on Tuesday; Thompson said he would be watching the address from a secure, undisclosed location. Thompson’s communications director, Lauren Ott, said Democrats have tapped the California lawmaker to serve as a designated survivor each year since 2020.

How the presidential designated survivor role works

The designated survivor is an official in the presidential line of succession who is selected to skip functions that convene the federal government in a single location—examples include the State of the Union, inaugurations or a president’s joint congressional address. That individual is kept in a secure, undisclosed location away from the event to ensure the full government would not be wiped out if a catastrophic incident were to occur.

Why the role exists and its historical roots

The practice is not required or described by the U. S. Constitution. It is believed to have begun during the Cold War when the government was increasingly concerned about the possibility of a nuclear strike from the Soviet Union. The measure is part of broader continuity-of-government planning, a framework intended to make sure constitutional leadership and core operations can continue if a catastrophic attack or disaster incapacitated officials gathered at the Capitol.

Who can serve and how selections are made

The designated survivor is typically a member of the President’s Cabinet and must be eligible under the Constitution to serve as President—specifically, a natural-born American citizen and at least 35 years of age. There is no official process or formal protocol for selecting the designated survivor; it is believed the President and/or the President’s Chief of Staff typically make the selection. Congressional leaders have also, in recent years, begun selecting lawmakers to serve as designated survivors—some trace that practice to the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Those congressional-designated survivors are not tapped to succeed the President but to ensure the legislative branch could continue functioning if a catastrophic incident occurred.

Recent and notable selections, and what happens during the address

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins served as the designated survivor during President Trump’s State of the Union address; Collins did not attend the joint session of Congress and was escorted to a secure, undisclosed location for the duration of the speech. Collins was also tasked with the role the previous year. The identity of the designated survivor is typically made public on the day of the speech after the individual has been safely relocated.

What the designated survivor can legally do in a worst-case scenario

Under the Presidential Succession Act, if a devastating event were to occur and those ahead in the line of succession were killed or incapacitated, the designated survivor—provided they meet constitutional requirements—could be sworn in as President. While the designated survivor has never been called upon to assume the presidency, the role remains a visible symbol of the extensive security and contingency planning that surrounds major national events. The State of the Union is a particular security concern because it brings together the President, the Vice President, members of Congress, the Supreme Court and much of the Cabinet in a single location.

President Donald Trump delivered the longest-ever State of the Union on Feb. 24, 2026.