US President Donald Trump has left a letter for Vice President J.D. Vance in case he is "eliminated."
Modern.az reports that this was stated by Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka on the "Pod Force One" podcast.
According to the "New York Post," Gorka noted that there are "rules of succession" that would be applied if Trump were to fall victim to an assassination. According to the White House representative, he is not concerned that some "foreign adversary" would take such a step.
"There is a letter in the drawer of the Resolute Desk addressed to the Vice President, if something happens to the President... We have our protocols, believe me," Gorka said.
Donald Trump has been the target of several assassination attempts in recent years. For example, in July 2024, during a campaign rally, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks fired eight shots, injuring Trump in the ear. The shooter was neutralized by the Secret Service's counter-sniper team.
In the fall of that year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation thwarted a planned assassination attempt against Trump at a golf club in Florida. Trump was not injured in the incident. Law enforcement arrested 58-year-old Ryan Routh, who was sentenced to life in prison in February 2026.
Additionally, on April 25 of this year, a shooting occurred at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, an event also attended by Trump. The event was held at the Washington Hilton hotel. It was in that same hotel that an assassination attempt was made against US President Ronald Reagan 45 years ago. The White House described the incident as an assassination attempt on Trump's life.
In May, Donald Trump stated that he saw both Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio among his "ideal successors." According to him, these politicians could form a "desired team" in the 2028 presidential election.
"J.D. is the ideal option," Trump added.
