<P> The line of succession follows the order of Vice President , Speaker of the House of Representatives , President pro tempore of the Senate , and then the eligible heads of federal executive departments who form the president 's Cabinet . The Presidential Succession Act refers specifically to officers beyond the vice president acting as president rather than becoming president when filling a vacancy . The Cabinet currently has 15 members , of which the Secretary of State is first in line ; the other Cabinet secretaries follow in the order in which their department ( or the department of which their department is the successor ) was created . Those heads of department who are constitutionally ineligible to be elected to the presidency are also disqualified from assuming the powers and duties of the presidency through succession . Since 1789 , the vice president has succeeded to the presidency intra-term on nine occasions , eight times due to the incumbent 's death , and once due to resignation . No one lower in the line of succession has yet been called upon to act as president . </P>
<P> The line of succession follows the order of Vice President , Speaker of the House of Representatives , President pro tempore of the Senate , and then the eligible heads of federal executive departments who form the president 's Cabinet . The Presidential Succession Act refers specifically to officers beyond the vice president acting as president rather than becoming president when filling a vacancy . The Cabinet currently has 15 members , of which the Secretary of State is first in line ; the other Cabinet secretaries follow in the order in which their department ( or the department of which their department is the successor ) was created . Those heads of department who are constitutionally ineligible to be elected to the presidency are also disqualified from assuming the powers and duties of the presidency through succession . Since 1789 , the vice president has succeeded to the presidency intra-term on nine occasions , eight times due to the incumbent 's death , and once due to resignation . No one lower in the line of succession has yet been called upon to act as president . </P>
who takes power if the president is impeached
who takes power if the president is impeached
Vice President
Vice President