The “designated survivor” for Tuesday’s State of the Union speech was Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.
Mr. Bernhardt was the only member of the Cabinet who didn’t walk into the House gallery shortly before President Trump entered to give the annual speech.
The tradition of having one Cabinet not attend the speech is a traditional safeguard against a catastrophe.
If a military or terrorist attack or natural catastrophe struck the U.S. Capitol, it could wipe out the entire presidential line of succession, leaving the U.S. without a government.
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