if Donald Trump were Speaker of the House in 2030 and both the President and Vice President stepped down (e.g., through resignation, death, or removal), he would become President of the United States, assuming he meets the constitutional requirements at that time. This is based on the current U.S. presidential line of succession, as outlined in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (codified at 3 U.S.C. § 19) and the U.S. Constitution.

Here’s how it works:

1. Constitutional Basis: Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the Constitution states that if the President is unable to discharge the duties of the office, the powers and duties devolve to the Vice President. It also empowers Congress to determine the succession beyond the Vice President if both offices are vacant.

2. Presidential Succession Act of 1947: This law establishes the order of succession after the Vice President. The Speaker of the House is second in line, followed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, and then Cabinet secretaries in the order their departments were created. If the President and Vice President are both unable to serve, the Speaker of the House assumes the presidency, provided they resign their position as Speaker and their House seat.

3. Eligibility: To become President, the Speaker must meet the constitutional qualifications (Article II, Section 1, Clause 5): be a natural-born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years old, and a resident within the United States for 14 years. Trump, born in 1946 in Queens, New York, would be 84 in 2030 and easily meets these criteria based on his background.

4. Process: If the President and Vice President step down simultaneously or sequentially in 2030, Trump, as Speaker, would immediately become Acting President under the 1947 Act. The 25th Amendment allows the President to nominate a new Vice President if that office becomes vacant, subject to congressional approval, but it doesn’t override the succession line if both offices are empty. Once Trump assumes the presidency, he would serve the remainder of the term (until January 20, 2033, assuming it’s within the 2029–2033 term) and could nominate a Vice President.

5. Notable Detail: The Speaker of the House doesn’t need to be an elected member of Congress—House rules allow any person to be elected Speaker by a majority vote. Trump could theoretically be chosen as Speaker without holding a House seat, a scenario that aligns with your hypothetical.

So, yes, if Trump were Speaker in 2030 and both the President and Vice President stepped down, he would become President, assuming no changes to current succession laws occur before then. This would not be an "appointment" in the traditional sense but an automatic succession as dictated by law.