If the President can no longer serve, who is next in line for the presidency?

The Vice President is next in line for the presidency if the President can no longer serve due to resignation, death, removal from office, or incapacitation. This line of succession is established by the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which was part of a broader framework designed to ensure continuity of government in the event that the President is unable to fulfill their duties.

The Vice President's position as the first successor makes sense, as they are a key member of the executive branch and have been elected to serve alongside the President. This ensures that there is an experienced leader ready to assume the highest office without the need for a new election.

Other choices, while important figures in government, do not hold the position that directly follows the Vice President in the line of succession. The Secretary of State is a member of the President's cabinet, the Speaker of the House is the leader of the House of Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore leads the Senate. Each of these roles holds significant responsibilities but does not succeed the President until after the Vice President in the established order of succession.