If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

The Speaker of the House becomes President if both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve. This succession is rooted in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which outlines the order of officials who would assume the presidency in such a scenario. The reasoning behind selecting the Speaker of the House is based on the principles of representative democracy; the Speaker is elected by members of the House of Representatives, making them directly accountable to the electorate.

The other options do not follow the established line of presidential succession. The Senate Majority Leader, while a significant leadership role in the Senate, is not next in line for the presidency. Similarly, the Secretary of State is a senior Cabinet member, but succession does not include Cabinet positions until after congressional leaders. The Chief Justice has a prominent role in the judicial branch but is not part of the presidential succession plan either. Thus, the Speaker of the House is the designated successor, ensuring continuity of leadership in accordance with democratic representation.