Who is next in line of succession after the Vice-President?

The individual next in line of succession after the Vice-President is the Speaker of the House. This hierarchy is established by the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which outlines the order in which officials are to follow the Vice-President in the event that both the President and the Vice-President are unable to fulfill their duties.

The reasoning for placing the Speaker of the House in this position relates to their role as a representative of the people's interests in Congress. The Speaker is elected by members of the House of Representatives, thus representing the legislative branch and ensuring that the leadership of the executive branch is somewhat accountable to the elected representatives of the citizens. This creates a check on the concentration of power in the presidency.

In contrast, although the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Senate Majority Leader, and the Secretary of State hold significant roles within the government, they do not hold the direct lineage of succession established by the law. The Chief Justice leads the judicial branch; the Senate Majority Leader leads the Senate but does not have a position in the presidential line of succession; and while the Secretary of State is an important member of the Cabinet, they follow behind Congress members in the succession list. Therefore, the Speaker of the House’s position in the line of succession