Who becomes president if the president dies?

The Vice President becomes president if the sitting president dies. This succession is outlined in the United States Constitution, specifically in Article II, Section 1, which establishes that the Vice President is next in line for the presidency. The rationale behind this is to ensure continuity of government and leadership in times of crisis. The Vice President is already an elected official and has gone through a rigorous vetting process, making them the most suitable person to assume the responsibilities of the presidency immediately.

The other options do not have this direct constitutional authority to succeed the presidency in such circumstances. For example, the Speaker of the House is next in line after the Vice President in the presidential line of succession, but they would only take over if both the president and vice president were unable to serve. Similarly, the Secretary of State and a Senator do not hold any immediate succession rights to the presidency. Therefore, the Vice President is the correct choice as they are the first in line to assume the presidency if the president is unable to continue in office due to death or other reasons.