Washington (CNN) Energy Secretary Rick Perry is stepping into the role of designated survivor, an administration official confirms to CNN, staying away from the Capitol in an undisclosed location as President Donald Trump delivers his second State of the Union address. Perry, the former governor of Texas, became the secretary of energy in March 2017. A veteran of the United States Air Force, Perry ran for president twice, in the 2012 and 2016 Republican primaries. Trump nominated his former rival for the Energy Department post in December 2016. The two discussed the Energy Department's "continuing role in protecting our nation, powering our nuclear navy, and protecting our Nation's grid," he said in a tweet.

Source: CNN February 06, 2019 01:41 UTC