Who takes over if something happens to Donald Trump?

Who takes over if The Donald is unable to perform his duties as US President?

Donald Trump has been criticised for his Twitter response to the Barcelona terror attack (AFP/Getty)

Who takes over if Donald Trump is ever unable to perform the duties of the US President?

In the event that the president ever resigns, gets impeached, dies, or is otherwise incapable of serving, the US has created a long line of succession to ensure the peaceful transfer of power under any circumstances.

Established in 1947 at the dawn of the nuclear age, the presidential line of succession goes down heads of Congress and then the president's cabinet.

Under Trump, 15 Republicans, three Independents, make up that line. Of them, 15 are men and three women, though one woman is a naturalized citizen who is included but ineligible to serve as president.

While turnover in the role of US president remains extremely rare, the line provides political stability and military-grade redundancy should anything ever happen to the Commander in Chief. Here are the people currently in line to take over in place of Trump:

Vice President Mike Pence

US Vice President Mike Pence in Santiago, Chile (Esteban Felix/AP)

House Speaker Paul Ryan

Senate President Pro Tempore Orrin Hatch

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (Getty)

Secretary of the Treasure Steven Mnuchin

Secretary of Defense James Mattis

(Chip Somodevilla/Getty) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross

(Getty) (Getty Images)

Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta

Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson

Ben Carson (The Washington Post)

Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao. Because Chao was born in Taiwan, she is ineligible to serve as president and would be passed over.

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos

US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)

Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin

Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke

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