CHOSEN: Democrat rep. selected for Designated Survivor role ahead of State of the Union
Rep. Mike Thompson, a longtime California Democrat representing the state's 4th Congressional District since 1999 and a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, publicly revealed that he had been selected as one of the designated survivors for President Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday night.
Chosen by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Thompson will watch the speech from a secure, undisclosed location away from the Capitol rather than joining the joint session in person. This marks the first time a sitting member of Congress has openly identified himself in this role for a Trump-era address, amid reports of several Democrats skipping the event altogether.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had previewed the speech as focusing on the administration's record achievements, but Thompson used the moment to signal strong opposition. In a post on X, Thompson stated he would still be "watching" and demanded accountability over what he called the "militarization of ICE, terrorization of our communities and killing of American citizens." In a separate press release, he sharply criticized Trump's second-term policies, accusing the president of raising costs for families, threatening "unlawful military attacks on foreign countries," failing to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and undermining the rule of law.
Despite his absence, Thompson's invited guest—Marine Corps veteran, small business owner, Napa City Councilmember and immigrant Bernie Narvaez—will attend in person as a representative of the district. Thompson praised Narvaez as "a shining example of what it means to be a public servant and to fulfill the American Dream."
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The designated-survivor protocol dates to the Cold War, when the U.S. government began ensuring continuity of leadership in case a catastrophe wiped out the president, vice president, Cabinet, and congressional leadership gathered in one place. While the presidential line of succession is codified in the Constitution and statute—beginning with the vice president, Speaker of the House, and then Cabinet secretaries in order—congressional members like Thompson are now occasionally tapped as an extra layer of precaution, even though they are not in the formal succession line (except for the Speaker).
Traditionally, a Cabinet secretary is the primary designee; for Trump's March 2025 joint address to Congress, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins filled the role. The White House had not yet announced its Cabinet-level survivor for the February 24, 2026, address.
The practice underscores the enduring emphasis on national security continuity protocols, more than seven decades after their inception, even as the event itself proceeds under heavy security in Washington. While the speech is expected to cover the economy, border security, and foreign policy, the presence of a high-profile Democratic "doomsday" designee serves as a visible reminder of the dangers that persist in D.C.