<P> The United States presidential line of succession is the order in which persons may become or act as President of the United States if the incumbent president becomes incapacitated , dies , resigns , or is removed from office ( by impeachment by the House of Representatives and subsequent conviction by the Senate ) . The line of succession is set by the United States Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 as subsequently amended to include newly created cabinet offices . The succession follows the order of vice president , Speaker of the House of Representatives , President pro tempore of the Senate , and then the heads of federal executive departments who form the Cabinet of the United States . The Cabinet currently has fifteen members , beginning with the Secretary of State , and followed by the rest in the order of their positions ' creation . Those heads of department who are ineligible to act as president are also ineligible to succeed the president by succession , for example most commonly if they are not a natural - born U.S. citizen . </P>
<P> The United States presidential line of succession is the order in which persons may become or act as President of the United States if the incumbent president becomes incapacitated , dies , resigns , or is removed from office ( by impeachment by the House of Representatives and subsequent conviction by the Senate ) . The line of succession is set by the United States Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 as subsequently amended to include newly created cabinet offices . The succession follows the order of vice president , Speaker of the House of Representatives , President pro tempore of the Senate , and then the heads of federal executive departments who form the Cabinet of the United States . The Cabinet currently has fifteen members , beginning with the Secretary of State , and followed by the rest in the order of their positions ' creation . Those heads of department who are ineligible to act as president are also ineligible to succeed the president by succession , for example most commonly if they are not a natural - born U.S. citizen . </P>
who becomes vice president if the vp becomes president
who becomes vice president if the vp becomes president
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Speaker of the House of Representatives