Georgia’s Doug Collins is designated survivor at Trump’s congressional address

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins is sitting out President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night as the designated survivor.

The Associated Press, citing a White House official, reported that Collins is the one government official being kept away in the case there is an attack on the proceeding to ensure someone in the line of presidential succession stays alive.

Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, then serving as agriculture secretary, was the designated survivor during Trump’s State of the Union address in 2018. Because Trump is in his first year in office this term, tonight’s speech is considered a joint session although it serves the same purpose.