‘Letter in drawer’: Donald Trump left succession instructions for JD Vance in Oval Office

A senior White House official has claimed that US President Donald Trump has left detailed instructions for Vice President JD Vance in case of an assassination attempt or other emergency during his second term.

Sebastian Gorka, who serves as deputy assistant to the President and senior director for counterterrorism, made the remarks during an interview on the “Pod Force One” podcast hosted by Miranda Devine.



“There is a letter in the drawer in the Resolute Desk that is addressed to the vice president should something happen to him,” Gorka said, as reported by the New York Post.

“We have protocols, trust me. Not ones I can discuss, but we have protocols,” he added.

Gorka spoke about succession arrangements while discussing security concerns surrounding Trump’s ongoing visit to China.

Remarks come amid Trump’s China visit

Trump is currently in Beijing for high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping focused on trade ties, artificial intelligence and broader geopolitical tensions.

Gorka dismissed fears that foreign powers could attempt to target Trump during the trip, despite describing the president as “the existential threat to China”.

“He alone stands between them and world domination, so they have every reason in the world to take him out,” Gorka said, before adding that he did not believe such an attack would happen.

“I have no fear at all of them doing something,” he said. “The president, in my estimation, is very safe.”

Gorka also praised Trump’s global influence, saying, “Everybody wants recognition from this man. This is the most powerful individual we have seen since the likes of Eisenhower.”

Trump has survived multiple assassination attempts

The comments come after several assassination attempts targeting Trump in recent years.

Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, when gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire and struck the president in the ear before being shot dead by Secret Service personnel.

Another suspect, Ryan Routh, was later arrested after allegedly hiding near Trump’s Florida golf course with a rifle. The report said he was charged and later sentenced to life imprisonment.

Recently, another incident took place during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington in April, when a suspect identified as Cole Tomas Allen breached a security checkpoint and opened fire before being subdued by security personnel.

Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and JD Vance were safely evacuated.

Under the US Constitution, the vice president is first in line to assume the presidency. The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 further outlines the order of succession after the vice president.