2026 State of the Union: What is the designated survivor and who will it be this year?

The State of the Union is an opportunity for the sitting president to outline their thoughts on the direction of the country and rally support for their own vision of the future.

This address to Congress typically brings together the vast majority of lawmakers from both parties, along with key members of the incumbent administration. Although, this year several Democrats have announced they will nobt be attending.

But, with so many high-ranking figures together, one person is told to stay away from the event to ensure that they can succeed the president if the worst were to happen.

Tonight’s designated survivor for the Democrats is Rep. Mike Thompson.

When did the tradition begin?

Dating back to the Cold War, the designated survivor is a member of the government who is kept away from events like inaugurations and major events to prevent a hypothetical decapitation of the United States government. As its origins in the Cold War suggest, it is designed to ensure that the government cannot be wiped out in a single mass-casualty incident.

That individual will be taken to a secure location for the duration of the event. The chosen designated survivor is almost always a member of the cabinet to ensure that they can continue the work of that government should anything happen.

Where is the State of the Union address held?

The first ever regular annual message to a joint session of Congress was given in 1790 by President George Washington. He delivered this remarks at the provisional US capital of New York City; and presidents continued to do so until Thomas Jefferson discontinued the tradition in 1801.

When the in-person speech was reintroduced by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913 he did so before the House of Representatives in the Washington DC Congress. The address is now delivered to a joint session of Congress held in the House of Representatives.

Modern examples of the speech typically feature the leaders of both Houses – Senate Majority Leader and Speaker of the House – sitting behind the president. Along with members and former members of both the House and the Senate, also in attendance are the President’s Cabinet, the Chief Justice and Justices on the Supreme Court, and the Diplomatic Corps. This year several Democrats have announced they will not be attending as a protest of Donald Trump’s policies and his administration’s cover-up of the Epstein files.

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