Executive Order 13251: Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of State
President: George W. Bush
Established a broad succession sequence for Secretary of State, beginning with the Deputy Secretaries and under secretaries and extending through specified UN representatives, ambassadors, counselors and other chiefs of mission.
Status: In effect as amended.
Is Executive Order 13251 still in effect? Yes. Active as amended; State continuity rules still cite the order.
What does Executive Order 13251 do?
The order assigned these duties: Listed State Department officers — Act as Secretary in the specified order; State Department — Apply Senate-confirmation, acting-capacity, equivalent-office and oath-date rules.
Compared the State Department sequence with the signed order and EO 13261’s amendment. The cited official disposition record does not list a later express revocation; the guide preserves the confirmation and Federal Vacancies Reform Act constraints.
Before and after
Before the order
EO 12343 provided the earlier State succession arrangement and did not reflect the department’s later offices.
After the order
EO 13251 revoked EO 12343. EO 13261 clarified that acting officials in listed offices could not rise through this sequence. The order has not been expressly revoked, and the State Department’s current Foreign Affairs Manual continues to cite it as a continuity authority.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Listed State Department officers | Act as Secretary in the specified order | During a qualifying vacancy or inability |
| State Department | Apply Senate-confirmation, acting-capacity, equivalent-office and oath-date rules | Whenever succession is required |
| President | Depart from the sequence to the extent the Vacancies Act permits | Case by case |
What happened next
EO 13251 signed.
EO 13251 revoked EO 12343 and established the new sequence.
EO 13261 amended the acting-capacity restriction.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The Federal Vacancies Reform Act and State Department organic statutes control eligibility and service; the order is a presidential sequence, not a permanent appointment. It contains successor-office and Senate-confirmation safeguards. No order-specific merits judgment was located.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on October 2, 2026. How we research →