If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who assumes the presidency?

The Speaker of the House assumes the presidency if both the President and the Vice President are unable to serve. This line of succession is established by the Presidential Succession Act. The purpose of this act is to ensure that there is always a designated individual ready to fulfill the duties of the presidency in the event of unexpected vacancies.

The Speaker of the House is the highest-ranking member of the House of Representatives and is typically a prominent political figure, making this position well-suited to take on presidential responsibilities. The succession plan is structured to maintain continuity of governance, reflecting the democratic principle that the head of the executive branch should be chosen from a legislative leader, which also underscores the relationship between the legislative and executive branches.

Other roles such as the Secretary of Defense or the Senate Majority Leader do not hold presidential succession in this context, as the order prioritizes leaders who are directly elected to represent the people, emphasizing democratic legitimacy. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate, while significant, is traditionally a ceremonial position and therefore ranks lower in the line of succession compared to the Speaker of the House.