There’s Already a Plan in Place if Trump Dies in Office — Here's How It Works

There’s been speculation that President Donald Trump has only six to eight months to live, based on a physical therapist with a doctorate citing congestive heart failure as the reason. Others have pointed to his appearance, his hands sometimes looking bruised or oddly colorless, as a sign he may not be as healthy as his administration claims.

With so much attention on Trump’s health, people are naturally asking how well he really is, and what might happen if any of the speculation turns out to be true. While Vice President JD Vance insisted in an interview with USA Today that, “The president of the United States is in good shape, and is going to serve out the remainder of his term,” many still aren’t convinced. To be prepared for the unexpected, here’s a quick rundown of what would happen if Trump were to die while in office.

Donald Trump’s second term as president is slated to run through January 2029, with the next election set for November 2028.

Simply put, he still has a long way to go, and since many are concerned about his health (Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed in July 2025 that he has chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that can become serious if left untreated), people want to be prepared for any situation, including what happens if the president dies while still in office.

According to the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, if a president dies while in office, the vice president immediately assumes the presidency. Section 1 of the amendment specifically states: “In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.”

Since JD Vance is currently serving as Trump’s vice president, he would become the President of the United States.

If Vance were to step into the presidency, his next responsibility would be to nominate a new vice president to replace him. That nomination must then be confirmed by a majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate before the nominee can officially take office.

Now, if, God forbid, both Trump and Vance were to die while in office, the presidential line of succession dictates that the Speaker of the House would assume the presidency, according to the U.S. General Services Administration. As of now, that would be Mike Johnson.

If something were to happen to Trump, it wouldn’t be the first time a president died while in office.

In fact, eight U.S. presidents have died during their terms, four from natural causes and four from assassination. William Henry Harrison (9th president), Zachary Taylor (12th), Warren G. Harding (29th), and Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd) all died of natural causes. Meanwhile, Abraham Lincoln (16th), James Garfield (20th), William McKinley (25th), and John F. Kennedy (35th) were assassinated.

Unlike many people, Vance doesn’t believe anything will stand in the way of Trump completing the remainder of his term. In an August 2025 interview with USA Today, he revealed that Trump is the last to go to sleep and the first to wake. But he also said he is ready to handle the job if need be. “If, God forbid, there’s a terrible tragedy, I can’t think of better on-the-job training than what I’ve gotten over the last 200 days,” he added.