Education Secretary Cardona to Serve as Designated Survivor for State of the Union
• Miguel Cardona, the education secretary, is the designated survivor who will be at an undisclosed location during the State of the Union address.
• The designated survivor tradition dates back to the Cold War in the 1950s to ensure government continuity in case of catastrophe at the event.
• All presidential successors in the line of succession attend the event, hence the need for a designated survivor.
• Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh have served as recent designated survivors.
• CIA Director William J. Burns is separately away from the Capitol at the event, in Doha, Qatar, though not the official designated survivor.