politics
White House Maintains Standard Presidential Succession Letter in Resolute Desk
Senior White House counterterrorism official Sebastian Gorka disclosed the existence of a letter from President Donald Trump to Vice President JD Vance during a podcast interview. The revelation comes as Trump, who turns 80 next month, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing following three publicly known assassination attempts in less than two years.
May 13, 12:37 PM·2m read1 source
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President Donald Trump keeps a letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance in the Resolute Desk in the event he dies or is assassinated, Sebastian Gorka said. The senior White House counterterrorism official revealed the existence of the letter during a podcast interview. The contents of the letter remain unknown.
Gorka disclosed the letter's existence amid renewed focus on security threats as Trump travels abroad. U.S. executives.
He is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The disclosure comes one month after a gunman disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in an assassination attempt. Trump has survived three publicly known assassination attempts in less than two years.
The first occurred in July 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was wounded in the ear and one attendee was killed. The second assassination attempt occurred in West Palm Beach, Florida, and was described by authorities as a foiled plot.
Trump turns 80 next month. Asked on the podcast about concerns regarding Trump's China visit, Gorka responded directly. “Absolutely not. I have no fear at all of them doing something,” he said. ” Newsweek reported his comments.
U.S. Constitution establishes the order of succession if the president dies or is killed. The vice president shall immediately become acting president if the president dies or is killed.
Vice President Andrew Johnson succeeded President Abraham Lincoln after Lincoln’s assassination in 1865. Chester Arthur succeeded President James Garfield following Garfield’s assassination in 1881. Theodore Roosevelt succeeded President William McKinley after he was assassinated in 1901.
