United States presidential line of succession
The United States Presidential in line is the order in which government officials replace the president of the United States if the president leaves office before an elected successor is inaugurated. If the president dies, resigns or is removed from office, the vice president becomes president for the rest of the term. If the vice president is unable to serve, the Speaker of the House acts as president.
Previous lines
The United States Constitution says that the vice president of the United States is the person who will replace the president if the president is not able to continue.[1] It is very important to know who the new president will be if they are not able to serve any longer.
The laws about succession (after the vice president) were first created in 1792. The second in line, after the vice president was the leader of the Senate. The next in line was the speaker of the House of Representatives. In 1868, during the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson, Benjamin Wade was the leader of the Senate. He almost became president, but Johnson was found not guilty by one vote. Johnson had been the vice president for Abraham Lincoln. He became president after the assassination of Lincoln. Because of Lincoln's assassination, there was no vice president at the time.
In 1886, after the death of Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks, Congress passed a law that took out the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives from the line of succession.[2] The new person behind the vice president in line was Secretary of State, followed by other Cabinet members. The leaders of the Senate and House were restored to the line of succession by the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.[2]
Present line of succession
Below is the current line of succession for the president of the United States:
Notes
- Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm is ineligible to become acting president, as she is not a natural-born U.S. citizen. Granholm's citizenship was acquired through naturalization.
- Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas is ineligible to become acting president, as he is not a natural-born U.S. citizen. Mayorkas' citizenship was acquired through naturalization.
References
- See United States Constitution, Amendment XXV.
- "Succession to the Presidency - A Chronology". Retrieved 21 October 2015.
- Lord, Debbie (June 18, 2018). "A president resigns, dies or is impeached: What is the line of succession?". WFTV.com. Cox Media Group. Retrieved June 18, 2018.