President Donald Trump has selected Doug Collins, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, as the designated survivor for the 2026 State of the Union Address.

The role of a designated survivor is crucial; this individual is an official in the presidential line of succession who is kept at a secure, undisclosed location during major events. This precaution ensures the continuity of government should a catastrophic event occur that incapacitates other leaders.

Collins, who previously served as a lawmaker from Georgia and now leads the Department of Veterans Affairs, stands 17th in line for the presidency.

Interestingly, Collins was also chosen as the designated survivor for the previous year’s address.

While Collins was officially designated to miss the speech, it appears that Senator Chuck Grassley, the longest-serving member of the Senate and fourth in line to the presidency, was also absent from the event.

Despite Washington, DC, and the US Capitol being among the most secure and monitored places in the United States, contingency plans are always in place. These plans ensure the government can endure even the gravest threats, such as an attack on Congress when top officials are gathered together.

The State of the Union address typically features the entirety of Congress, 100 senators and 435 House representatives, all nine Supreme Court justices, the president’s entire Cabinet, the president’s family and scores of special guests, media and congressional staff. 

The concept of having a designated survivor originated in the 1950s when US officials first grew concerned about a nuclear attack taking out the government. 

President Donald Trump speaking at his State of the Union address

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins is this year’s designated survivor – a member of the line of presidential succession kept away from the State of the Union to ensure continuity of government incase of an attack on the Capitol 

Members of the Cabinet, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stand before U.S. President Donald J. Trump delivers the first State of the Union address of his second term to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the United States Capitol

However, the protocol was not publicly known until the 1980s, when the practice became more publicized and the administration would announce after the fact the identity of the designee. 

On the night of the State of the Union, the designated survivor is sent to an undisclosed location for protection. 

At times, there has also been a designated survivor for presidential inaugurations, which similarly feature all of the federal government’s top brass. However, Trump’s inauguration last year did not have a designee. 

During Joe Biden’s final year as president in 2024, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, who was 16th in line to the presidency. 

Beyond being a Cabinet official, the designated survivor must also be at least 35-years-old and a natural-born U.S. citizen.

While the US Constitution discusses the presidential line of succession, the process was clarified under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. 

It begins with the vice president, the speaker of the House, the Senate president pro tempore and then Cabinet members in the order of their respective department’s creation. 

Some lawmakers have also historically sat out to preserve continuity of the legislative branch.  

House Democrats announced that Congressman Mike Thompson of California would be their designated survivor for Trump’s State of the Union. He was also the party’s designee last year. 

Senator Chuck Grassley, 92, president pro tempore of the Senate – the most veteran member of the chamber – who is fourth in line to the presidency, seemingly did not attend the State of the Union

‘I’ve been selected as a designated survivor for tomorrow’s State of the Union, so I won’t be there in person, but I’ll be watching. Americans deserve accountability for the militarization of ICE, terrorization of our communities and killing of American citizens,’ the Democrat announced on X this week. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment on who, if anyone, would serve as the GOP’s designated survivor.  

Though it may not be particularly necessary, as many Democrats have announced they would not attend Trump’s speech in protest.