From Cabinet secretary to doomsday president: What being the designated survivor is like

kAmqFE H96? E96 C6DE @7 E96 8@G6C?>6?E :D 82E96C65 E@86E96C 7@C 2 3:8 6G6?E[ =:<6 !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>AVD $E2E6 @7 E96 &?:@? 255C6DD %F6D52J ?:89E[ 2 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@C :D <6AE 2H2J E@ 6?DFC6 D@>6@?6 :? E96 =:?6 @7 =6256CD9:A DF446DD:@? DE2JD 2=:G6]k^Am

kAm!:4<:?8 2 72:=\D276 :? 42D6 @7 2 42E24=JD>:4 6G6?E E92E H:A6D @FE 6G6CJ@?6 6=D6 52E6D 324< E@ E96 r@=5 (2C] xEVD 366? 5C2>2E:K65 :? ?@G6=D 2?5 2? pqr D6C:6D DE2CC:?8 z:676C $FE96C=2?5 E92E 2:C65 7C@> a_`e E@ a_`h] (96? %CF>A 255C6DD65 2 ;@:?E D6DD:@? @7 r@?8C6DD =2DE |2C49[ '6E6C2?D p772:CD $64C6E2CJ s@F8 r@==:?D H2D 49@D6? 2D E96 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@C]k^Am

kAm%96 AC6D:56?EVD A:4< E@ D:E @FE E9:D E:>6 H2D?VE J6E 2??@F?465 62C=J %F6D52J]k^Am

kAm%2<:?8 @? E96 C@=6 @7 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@C 3C:?8D 6IEC2 25C6?2=:?6 ;@=ED 2?5 9F>3=:?8 E9@F89ED 23@FE 36:?8 F?H:EE:?8=J 42E2AF=E65 :?E@ E96 AC6D:56?4J 2?5 F?E9:?<23=6 EC2865J — E9@F89 E96 >:?FE6\E@\>:?FE6 56E2:=D FDF2==J 5@?VE 762EFC6 E96 9:89 5C2>2 @7 7:4E:@?2= A@CEC2J2=D[ E9@D6 H9@ 92G6 5@?6 :E D2J]k^Am

kAmQxE 7@4FD6D J@FC >:?5] xE 2=D@ 6?92?46D J@FC AC2J6C E92E :E 5@6D?VE 92AA6? E@ J@F[Q y2>6D }:49@=D@?[ H9@ H2D !C6D:56?E v6@C86 (] qFD9VD G6E6C2?D 2772:CD D64C6E2CJ 2?5 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@C 5FC:?8 E96 a__e $E2E6 @7 E96 &?:@?[ D2:5 @7 A@DD:3=J 364@>:?8 AC6D:56?E 27E6C 2 42E24=JD>:4 6G6?E]k^Am

k9amV$@CE @7 D@36C:?8Vk^9am

kAmw:DE@C:2? 2?5 ;@FC?2=:DE v2CC6EE |] vC277 D2:5 E96 4@?46AE @7 2 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@C 92D =@?8 42AE:G2E65 A6@A=6 3642FD6 :E 4@>3:?6D E96 AF3=:4VD :?96C6?E 72D4:?2E:@? H:E9 52?86C 2?5 E96 C@>2?46 @7 2? Q6G6CJ>2?Q 36:?8 E9CFDE :?E@ E96 AC6D:56?4J]k^Am

kAmQ%96 :562 @7[ J@FVC6 ;FDE 2 C2?5@> r23:?6E @77:4:2=[ 2?5 E96? D@>6E9:?8 E6CC:3=6 92AA6?D 2?5[ 2== @7 2 DF556?[ J@FVC6 AC6D:56?E @7 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[Q D2:5 vC277[ 2FE9@C @7 Q#2G6? #@4<i %96 $E@CJ @7 E96 &]$] v@G6C?>6?EVD $64C6E !=2? E@ $2G6 xED6=7 — (9:=6 E96 #6DE @7 &D s:6]Qk^Am

kAm&?E:= E96 $6AE] ``[ a__`[ 2EE24<D[ 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@CD 925 >@C6 4@?EC@= @G6C H96C6 E96J H6?E @FED:56 (2D9:?8E@?] !C6D:56?E q:== r=:?E@?VD 6?6C8J D64C6E2CJ[ E96 =2E6 q:== #:492C5D@?[ H2D A:4<65 :? a___ 2?5 D:>A=J >@G65 FA 2 A=2??65 H66<6?5 EC:A E@ ~I7@C5[ |2CJ=2?5[ 2 H2E6C7C@?E E@H? 23@FE g_ >:=6D 2H2J[ D@ 96V5 36 E96C6 5FC:?8 E96 $E2E6 @7 E96 &?:@?]k^Am

kAm(96? s2? v=:4<>2?[ r=:?E@?VD 28C:4F=EFC6 D64C6E2CJ[ H2D E2AA65 5FC:?8 E96 `hhf $E2E6 @7 E96 &?:@?[ 9:D 9@>6E@H? @7 (:49:E2[ z2?D2D[ H2D E@@ 72C 2H2J[ D@ 96 49@D6 }6H *@C<[ H96C6 9:D 52F89E6C =:G65]k^Am

kAmQx E9@F89E :E H2D <:?5 @7 6I4:E:?8] qFE x H2D?VE 9JA65 FA 7C@> 2 52?86C@FD A6CDA64E:G6[Q v=:4<>2? D2:5] Qx 5@?VE 6G6? E9:?< 2?J3@5J E@=5 >6 E@ 36 42C67F=]Qk^Am

kAmp=36CE@ v@?K2=6D[ qFD9VD 2EE@C?6J 86?6C2=[ H2D E96 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@C 5FC:?8 E96 a__f $E2E6 @7 E96 &?:@?] w6 D2:5 (9:E6 w@FD6 49:67 @7 DE277 y@D9 q@=E6? 42==65 2 76H 52JD 367@C6 2?5 @776C65 2 4@FA=6 @7 @AE:@?D 7@C H96C6 96 4@F=5 9F?<6C 5@H?]k^Am

kAmv@?K2=6D 49@D6 E@ 36 :? 7=:89E[ 2?5 96 2CC:G65 2E H92E H2D E96? 42==65 p?5C6HD p:C u@C46 q2D6 :? |2CJ=2?5 E@ 7:?5 Q>6>36CD @7 6G6CJ >2;@C 56A2CE>6?E 2?5 286?4JQ E96C6 E@ C:56 H:E9 9:>] %96J 42CC:65 E9:4< 3:?56CD DEF7765 H:E9 >6>@D 2?5 AC@E@4@= :?DECF4E:@?D[ ;FDE :? 42D6]k^Am

kAmw6 C642==65 2 D6C:6D @7 3C:67:?8D E92E >2J 92G6 DEC6E4965 C:89E :?E@ qFD9VD DA6649[ H9:49 96 H2E4965 7C@> E96 2:C]k^Am

kAmQxE H2D 5FC:?8 E92E E:>6 E92E :E D@CE @7 DF556?=J 9:E >6[ :7 D@>6E9:?8 92AA6?65 :? E96 r2A:E@= 2?5 6G6CJ@?6VD <:==65[ E92E xV5 36 AC6D:56?E[Q v@?K2=6D D2:5] QxEVD D@CE @7 D@36C:?8] p?5 J@F H@?56C[ V(@F=5 x 36 FA E@ 8@G6C?:?8 2 H@F?565 ?2E:@?nVQk^Am

k9amr@?46AE 52E6D 324< 564256Dk^9am

kAmx? Q#2G6? #@4<[Q vC277 56E2:=D 9@H E96 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@C :562 H2D 7@C>2=:K65 3J E96 r2CE6C 2?5 #6282? 25>:?:DEC2E:@?D 2>:5 762CD E92E $@G:6E DF3D ;FDE @77 E96 pE=2?E:4 4@2DE 4@F=5 7:C6 ?F4=62C >:DD:=6D 2?5 H:A6 @FE (2D9:?8E@? H:E9 32C6=J `_ >:?FE6DV H2C?:?8]k^Am

kAmq68:??:?8 :? pAC:= `hg_[ E96 (9:E6 w@FD6 |:=:E2CJ ~77:46 E2D<65 E96 u656C2= t>6C86?4J |2?286>6?E p86?4J H:E9 6?DFC:?8 DF446DD:@?] p? 2:56 H2D 5:C64E65 E@ C64@>>6?5 E@ E96 AC6D:56?E H9@ D9@F=5 D<:A 6G6?ED H96? 2== A@DD:3=6 DF446DD@CD H6C6 E@86E96C @FED:56 E96 (9:E6 w@FD6]k^Am

kAm~77:4:2=D DE:== AC6A2C6 7@C 2 >2DD:G6 2EE24< @C 5:D2DE6C] %96 >:=:E2CJ 96=:4@AE6C E92E 4@==:565 H:E9 2 C68:@?2= ;6E @FED:56 #6282? }2E:@?2= p:CA@CE :? y2?F2CJ a_ad H2D @? 2 4@?E:?F:EJ @7 8@G6C?>6?E >:DD:@? — EC2:?:?8 E@ <66A E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 7F?4E:@?:?8 :? 42D6 @7 42E2DEC@A96]k^Am

kAm%96 7:CDE E:>6 E92E 2 r23:?6E >6>36C 36:?8 <6AE 2H2J 7C@> 2 AC6D:56?E:2= DA6649 E@ r@?8C6DD H2D AF3=:4=J 5:GF=865 H2D !C6D:56?E #@?2=5 #6282?VD t5F42E:@? $64C6E2CJ %6CC6= q6== :? `hg`] qFE q6== H2D?VE :56?E:7:65 F?E:= 27E6CH2C5] %@52J[ %' :>286D 7C@> E96 w@FD6 492>36C 2==@H A@=:E:42= ;F?<:6D E@ DA@E E96 >:DD:?8 r23:?6E >6>36C H:E9:? >:?FE6D]k^Am

k9amV*@FV5 36 H6== 765Vk^9am

kAm}:49@=D@? D2:5 qFD9VD 49:67 @7 DE277 p?5J r2C5 2D<65 9:> 2 76H H66<D 367@C6 E96 $E2E6 @7 E96 &?:@? E@ 36 E96 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@C] w6 H2D 2 ?2EFC2= 7:E 8:G6? E92E 9:D 286?4J A=2J65 2? :>A@CE2?E C@=6 :? 4@?E:?F:EJ @7 8@G6C?>6?E 6I6C4:D6D 5F6 E@ :ED ?F>6C@FD 9@DA:E2=D 2?5 4=:?:4D ?2E:@?H:56]k^Am

kAm}:49@=D@? 7=6H 3J 96=:4@AE6C E@ 2 56DE:?2E:@? @?=J 5:GF=865 @?46 96 H2D :? E96 2:C 2?5 =2E6C D2E :? 2 4@>>2?5 46?E6C[ H96C6 96 F?56CH6?E 3C:67:?8D 367@C6 H2E49:?8 qFD9VD DA6649]k^Am

kAmw6 H2D D6CG65 2 QH@?56C7F=Q 5:??6C[ AC6A2C65 @?\D:E6 3J A6CD@??6= 7C@> E96 (9:E6 w@FD6 >6DD[ E9@F89 96 D2:5 96 4@F=5?VE C642== :7 :E H2D %\3@?6 DE62< @C AC:>6 C:3 @C D@>6E9:?8 D:>:=2C]k^Am

kAmQxE >256 J@F E9:?< E92E[ 2E =62DE :7 E9:D 2H7F= E9:?8 92AA6?65[ J@FV5 36 H6== 765[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmQ%96 6?@C>:EJ @7 E92E ;@3] *@F E9:?< 23@FE[ C6>@E6 2D :E :D[ E9:D :D D@>6E9:?8 J@F >:89E 92G6 E@ 5@[Q }:49@=D@? D2:5 @7 364@>:?8 AC6D:56?E] }:49@=D@?VD H:76 H2D 2EE6?5:?8 E96 $E2E6 @7 E96 &?:@?[ >62?:?8 E92E :7 D@>6E9:?8 92AA6?65[ D96 4@F=5 36 2>@?8 E96 G:4E:>D[ H9:49 @?=J 25565 E@ E96 AC6DDFC6]k^Am

kAm(96? :E H2D @G6C[ }:49@=D@? H2D?VE 2D<65 E@ 7:== :? 7FEFC6 56D:8?2E65 DFCG:G@CD =:<6 v@?K2=6D @? H92E E@ 6IA64E]k^Am

kAmQ(6 5@?VE 92G6 2 4=F3[Q 96 =2F8965] Q(6 D9@F=5]Qk^Am