Why One Cabinet Member Was Missing During the SOTU

While President Trump delivered his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, one cabinet member was conspicuously absent: Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins.

He was serving as the “designated survivor,” a tradition dating back to the Cold War and formalized in 1981 to ensure the presidential line of succession in case of a catastrophic event.

Collins waited at a secure, undisclosed location, ready to assume the presidency if disaster struck the Capitol.

This was Collins’s second time in the role, having also served as designated survivor during Trump’s 2025 address.

The Secretary of the Interior has been chosen most often—seven times—followed by the Secretary of Agriculture with six selections.

There’s no set protocol; selection sometimes depends on whether a department is featured in the speech.

The concept has inspired public intrigue for decades, even spawning a TV series.

While the nation watched the president, Collins quietly fulfilled his duty as the ultimate insurance policy for American government.