A top government official named designated survivor to preserve the presidential line of succession in the event of a ...

The concept of a "designated survivor" has inspired intrigue and mystery for decades, even inspiring a TV show. But what does the role entail?

He or she will watch the speech from afar, representing the doomsday president in waiting, a title informally known as the "designated survivor." One person is selected to sit out high-profile ...

President Trump is set to deliver an important address covering key national issues such as economic policies and national security. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins has been named the ...

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins is the designated survivor for Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening. The top government official will be sequestered in ...

Schneid is a reporter at TIME. Doug Collins, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, is reportedly serving as the designated survivor during President Donald Trump's joint congressional address on ...

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins will serve as designated survivor during President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress on Tuesday. Collins will not be in attendance for the speech at ...

The so-called "designated survivor" is a person in the presidential line of succession that is intentionally not in attendance at major presidential events, most commonly the State of the Union, to ...

As part of the proceedings, a cabinet member is normally selected as a “designated survivor.” A top government official is typically chosen as the designated survivor as a way to maintain the ...

The tradition calls for a member of the president's cabinet to be absent from speeches to joint sessions of Congress to ensure the line of succession stays alive.