Jay Whitaker

Evil-doer
Full Name	Jay Whitaker
Alias	No information
Origin	Designated Survivor
Occupation	United States Homeland Security advisor Second-in-command of the True Believers (all formerly)
Powers / Skills	Hacking Manipulation
Goals	Overthrow the US government (failed).
Crimes	Treason Conspiracy Blackmail Terrorism Attempted usurpation
Type of Villain	Traitorous Conspirator

Jay Whitaker is the secondary antagonist during the first season of the ABC/Netflix series Designated Survivor. He is the former US Homeland Security advisor and the second-in-command of the True Believers.

History

Origin

Although his reasons for joining the True Believers is unknown, Jay Whitaker had, at some point, become part of their group, rising to the top and being Patrick Lloyd's right-hand man, as well as his eyes and ears within the White House. Whitaker had secretly copied File 12-80C, one of many simulated threat assessments run by the Pentagon on how the US Capitol could be attacked, and given it to the True Believers, laying the foundation for how they would take over the country. Whitaker also deleted confidential files pertaining to certain individuals involved with the conspiracy, including his boss Patrick Lloyd, who owned a private military contract company that worked with the Pentagon, as well as Nestor Lozano, the True Believers' enforcer and hitman.

In order to make it easier for the True Believers' agenda to come to fruition without serious threats, Whitaker, through his subordinate Brooke Mathison, blackmailed Chief of Staff Charles Langdon to name Tom Kirkman, the mild-mannered HUD secretary, the designated survivor for President Richmond's upcoming State of the Union address.

Through Lozano, Whitaker also arranged to have terrorist group Al-Sakar take credit for the Capitol bombing.

Season 1

After the Capitol bombing killed nearly every member of Capitol Hill, Whitaker hacked into the White House and left a false confession from Al-Sakar's leader, Majid Nassar, claiming responsibility for the bombing before destroying nearly every computer in the building.

Some time later, while Kirkman was in intensive care, Vice President Peter MacLeish, a fellow member of the True Believers, was named acting President and commanded a manhunt for 'Nestor Lozano'. Whitaker suggested apprehending him, but MacLeish gave the order to kill him. It is unknown if MacLeish was aware that the 'Lozano' they were chasing was a decoy or even if Whitaker and Lloyd had secretly arranged for the real Lozano to remain active, but in either case, Whitaker managed to get Lozano out of hiding and back under his thumb.

Whitaker then started leaking information to journalist Abe Leonard, using circumstantial evidence to establish a false truth to Leonard, sending him after FBI agents Atwood and Wells. While giving Leonard information about Majid Nassar's confession, Whitaker received an update from Lozano that Wells was captured.

Whitaker met with Lloyd on his private residence, being spied on by Atwood, where the two discussed the next stage of their agenda. Atwood secretly recorded their conversation and got photos of the two of them meeting together before being killed by Lozano. However, Atwood managed to send out an email containing the evidence to Hannah Wells, who saw Whitaker was meeting with Lloyd. Exposed as the traitor within the White House, Wells, along with Secret Service Agent Mike Ritter, arrested Whitaker for his crimes.