In the U.S. presidential chain of succession, who follows the President and Vice President?

In the U.S. presidential chain of succession, the individual who follows the President and Vice President is the Speaker of the House. This is established by the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which outlines the order of officials who would assume the presidency in the event that both the President and Vice President are unable to fulfill their duties.

The Speaker of the House is the leader of the House of Representatives and is elected by the members of the House. They hold a significant position within the legislative branch and thus are included in the line of succession. This reflects the importance of elected representatives in serving as the voice of the people in the governance of the country.

Comparatively, while the Secretary of State, Senate Majority Leader, and Attorney General hold prestigious positions, they do not come ahead of the Speaker of the House in the line of succession. The Secretary of State is responsible for foreign affairs; the Senate Majority Leader leads the majority party in the Senate; and the Attorney General serves as the head of the Department of Justice. However, none of these roles is designated to assume the presidency after the Speaker, illustrating the unique constitutional responsibilities assigned to each position.