Who Becomes President After the President and Vice President?

Lyndon B. Johnson: oath of officeLyndon B. Johnson takes the presidential oath of office, flanked by Jacqueline Kennedy (right) and Lady Bird Johnson, aboard Air Force One after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, November 22, 1963.

The current order of presidential succession in the United States is:

Vice President

Speaker of the House

President Pro Tempore of the Senate

Secretary of State

Secretary of the Treasury

Secretary of Defense

Attorney General

Secretary of the Interior

Secretary of Agriculture

Secretary of Commerce

Secretary of Labor

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Secretary of Transportation

Secretary of Energy

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Secretary of Homeland Security

Amy Tikkanen
Citation Information
Article Title: Who Becomes President After the President and Vice President?
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 13 June 2025
Access Date: November 15, 2026