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The American president’s annual State of the Union address also poses a security risk to the United States. Because in Congress, Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris and the Speaker of the House are present at the same time – which is rarely the case.

If, as shown in the Netflix series ‘Designated Survivor’ with Kiefer Sutherland, there were an attack on the parliament building and the members of the government were no longer able to take action, a replacement would be needed. This “predetermined survivor” is usually a cabinet member. His name will be published shortly before the speech.

During the speech, this person is hidden in a secret location, heavily guarded by the secret service. If the president and vice president are assassinated during the speech, that person will automatically take over the reins of government.

This year’s Designated Survivor is Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. The 48-year-old was not in the audience at the US Congress on Thursday evening (local time).

The measure has roots in the Cold War

Last year, it was Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh who was chosen to intervene in an emergency. «I didn’t even know where I was being taken.”, he described his experience. “God bless you when something happens, but there’s a point where you think about it,” he told the Washington Post.

The idea of ​​designating a person for emergency use dates back to the Cold War era. According to the American magazine ‘Newsweek’, due to the nuclear threat, there were different scenarios as to how government business could continue in the event of an attack.

Not everyone is suitable for this: in order to be able to take over official duties in the worst case, the person must be legally capable of being President of the United States – for example, born in the US. The minimum age is 35 years. In most cases, it is the cabinet members who are assigned the special role, usually from the Ministry of Agriculture or the Interior.