Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is the designated survivor for President Biden’s State of the Union address, according to a White House official.
Cardona, as Education secretary, is the 16th in the presidential line of succession. Cardona has served in Biden’s Cabinet since March 2021.
The designated survivor tradition involves a member of the president’s Cabinet staying at an undisclosed location during the State of the Union to preserve the government’s succession in the case of a catastrophic incident during the address at the Capitol. Vice President Harris and other Cabinet members are in attendance for the speech.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland shared a photograph before the White House announced the designated survivor, featuring herself with other members of the Cabinet with Cardona noticeably missing.
“Grateful for another year with an amazing cabinet dedicated to public service and achieving @POTUS’ ambitious goals!” Haaland said.
The designated survivor last year was former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, who has since left his post to run the National Hockey League Players’ Association. He is the first and only Senate-confirmed Cabinet official in the line of succession to leave the White House since Biden took office.
In 2022, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was the designated survivor.
In both 2022 and 2023, Haaland also shared a photograph of herself with other members of the Cabinet, with the designated survivor missing from it.