Donald Trump turns 80 this year - here's what happens if he dies in office

Donald Trump turns 80 this year - here's what happens if he dies in officeDonald Trump may be fairly spry for a man his age, but he is not immortal. Eight presidents have died in office and there's a well-developed process for what happens nextCommentsNewsopinionMikey Smith Deputy Political Editor in Dallas, Texas15:14, 04 Apr 2026Updated 15:14, 04 Apr 2026This is what happens if Trump diesDonald Trump is the oldest person ever to sit in the Oval Office. He turns 80 this year. And while he's actually pretty sprightly for a man his age, he is not immortal. So, morbid though it is to talk about, here's what happens when a President dies in office.‌When a president dies, power transfers immediately to the Vice President. No election, no vote, no delay. In this case, JD Vance would become President and serve out the rest of Trump's term. This has happened eight times in American history — four times after the president was assassinated, four times due to natural causes.‌Most recently, Lyndon Johnson became President when John F Kennedy was shot in Dallas in 1963.‌But here’s where it gets interesting.The two-term limit applies to how many times you can be elected President. If you inherit the job mid-term, it’s slightly more complicated.View ImageIf Trump dies, JD Vance automatically becomes President(Image: SHAWN THEW/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)‌If Vance took over now and served less than two years of Trump’s term, he’d be entitled to run twice on his own. That’s potentially ten years in the White House - the only way you can legally be President for more than two four-year terms.If he served more than two years as VP, he only gets to stand for election one more time. Still, that’s potentially six more years in office, and he only has to run once.Either way, Vance would also need to immediately name a new Vice President. That pick has to be confirmed by both chambers of Congress. Right now, Republicans control both houses...but come November, that co...