This is a list of secretaries of state of the United States.

Quick Facts United States Secretary of State, Appointer ...
United States Secretary of State
Thumb
Official seal
Thumb
since January 26, 2021
United States Department of State
AppointerPresident of the United States
Inaugural holder
FormationJuly 27, 1789
SuccessionFourth
Websitewww.state.gov
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Secretaries of foreign affairs (1781–1789)

On January 10, 1780, the Congress of the Confederation created the Department of Foreign Affairs.[1]

On August 10, 1781, Congress selected Robert R. Livingston, a delegate from New York, as the first Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Livingston was unable to take office until October 20, 1781. He served until June 4, 1783, and was succeeded by John Jay on December 21, 1784, who served until March 4, 1789, when the government under the Articles of Confederation gave way to the government under the Constitution.

The office of Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs were reinstated by a law signed by George Washington on July 27, 1789. John Jay retained the post on an interim basis, pending the return of Thomas Jefferson from France.

More information No., Portrait ...
Secretaries of foreign affairs (1781–1789)
No. Portrait Name State of residence Took office Left office
1 Robert R. Livingston New York October 20, 1781 June 4, 1783
2 John Jay New York December 21, 1784 March 4, 1789
John Jay

Acting

New York July 27, 1789September 15, 1789
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Secretaries of state

On September 15, 1789, before Jefferson could return to take the post, Washington signed into law another act which changed the name of the office from Secretary of Foreign Affairs to Secretary of State, changed the name of the department to the Department of State, and added several domestic powers and responsibilities to both the office of secretary and the department. Thomas Jefferson took office as the first secretary of state on March 22, 1790.

  Denotes an interim secretary of state
More information N°, Secretary ...
Secretary Party Vote[a] Term of office State President(s)
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term
Thumb John Jay
(1745–1829)
Federalist September 15, 1789 March 22, 1790 188 days New York George Washington
1 Thumb Thomas Jefferson
(1743–1826)
[3]
Democratic-
Republican
March 22, 1790 December 31, 1793 3 years, 284 days Virginia
2 Thumb Edmund Randolph
(1753–1813)
[4]
Federalist January 2, 1794 August 20, 1795 1 year, 232 days Virginia
3 Thumb Timothy Pickering
(1745–1829)
[5]
Federalist August 20, 1795 December 10, 1795[b] 4 years, 265 days Pennsylvania
December 10, 1795 May 12, 1800
John Adams
Thumb Charles Lee
(1758–1815)
[c][6]
Federalist May 13, 1800 June 5, 1800 23 days Virginia
4 Thumb John Marshall
(1755–1835)
[7]
Federalist June 13, 1800 February 4, 1801 264 days Virginia
February 4, 1801 March 4, 1801[d]
Thumb Levi Lincoln Sr.
(1749–1820)
[c][8]
Democratic-
Republican
March 5, 1801 May 1, 1801 57 days Massachusetts Thomas Jefferson
5 Thumb James Madison
(1751–1836)
[9]
Democratic-
Republican
May 2, 1801 March 3, 1809 7 years, 305 days Virginia
6 Thumb Robert Smith
(1757–1842)
[10]
Democratic-
Republican
March 6, 1809 April 1, 1811 2 years, 26 days Maryland James Madison
7 Thumb James Monroe
(1758–1831)
[11]
Democratic-
Republican
30–0 April 2, 1811 September 30, 1814 5 years, 335 days Virginia
October 1, 1814 February 28, 1815[b]
February 28, 1815 March 3, 1817
John Graham
(1774–1820)
[e][12]
Democratic-
Republican
March 4, 1817 March 9, 1817 5 days Kentucky James Monroe
Thumb Richard Rush
(1780–1859)
[c][13]
Federalist March 10, 1817 September 22, 1817 196 days Pennsylvania
8 Thumb John Quincy Adams
(1767–1848)
[14]
Democratic-
Republican
29–1 September 22, 1817 March 3, 1825 7 years, 162 days Massachusetts
Daniel Brent
(1770–1841)
[e][15]
Democratic-
Republican
March 4, 1825 March 7, 1825 3 days Virginia John Quincy
Adams
9 Thumb Henry Clay
(1777–1852)
[16]
Democratic-
Republican
27–14 March 7, 1825 March 3, 1829 3 years, 361 days Kentucky
National
Republican
Thumb James Alexander
Hamilton

(1788–1878)
[17]
Democratic March 4, 1829 March 27, 1829 23 days New York Andrew Jackson
10 Thumb Martin Van Buren
(1782–1862)
[18]
Democratic 25–7 March 28, 1829 May 23, 1831 2 years, 56 days New York
11 Thumb Edward Livingston
(1764–1836)
[19]
Democratic May 24, 1831 May 29, 1833 2 years, 5 days Louisiana
12 Thumb Louis McLane
(1786–1857)
[20]
Democratic [f] May 29, 1833 June 30, 1834 1 year, 32 days Delaware
13 Thumb John Forsyth
(1780–1841)
[21]
Democratic July 1, 1834 March 3, 1841 6 years, 245 days Georgia
Martin Van Buren
Jacob L. Martin
(?–1848)
[e][22]
March 4, 1841 March 5, 1841 1 day District of
Columbia
William Henry
Harrison
14 Thumb Daniel Webster
(1782–1852)
[23]
Whig March 6, 1841 May 8, 1843 2 years, 63 days Massachusetts
John Tyler
Thumb Hugh S. Legaré
(1797–1843)
[c][24]
Democratic May 9, 1843 June 20, 1843 42 days South Carolina
William S. Derrick
(1802–1852)
[e][25]
June 21, 1843 June 23, 1843 2 days Pennsylvania
15 Thumb Abel P. Upshur
(1791–1844)
[26]
Whig June 24, 1843 July 23, 1843[g] 220 days Virginia
July 24, 1843 February 28, 1844
Thumb John Nelson
(1791–1860)
[c][27]
Whig February 29, 1844 March 31, 1844 31 days Maryland
16 Thumb John C. Calhoun
(1782–1850)
[28]
Democratic April 1, 1844 March 10, 1845[h] 343 days South Carolina
17 Thumb James Buchanan
(1791–1868)
[29]
Democratic March 10, 1845 March 7, 1849[h] 3 years, 362 days Pennsylvania James K. Polk
18 Thumb John M. Clayton
(1796–1856)
[30]
Whig March 8, 1849 July 22, 1850 1 year, 136 days Delaware Zachary Taylor
Millard Fillmore
19 Thumb Daniel Webster
(1782–1852)
[23]
Whig July 23, 1850 October 24, 1852 2 years, 93 days Massachusetts
Thumb Charles Magill Conrad
(1804–1878)
[b][31]
Whig October 25, 1852 November 5, 1852 11 days Louisiana
20 Thumb Edward Everett
(1794–1865)
[32]
Whig November 6, 1852 March 3, 1853 117 days Massachusetts
Thumb William Hunter
(1805–1886)
[e][33]
March 4, 1853 March 7, 1853 3 days Rhode Island Franklin Pierce
21 Thumb William L. Marcy
(1786–1857)
[34]
Democratic March 7, 1853 March 6, 1857[h] 3 years, 364 days New York
22 Thumb Lewis Cass
(1782–1866)
[35]
Democratic March 6, 1857 December 14, 1860 3 years, 283 days Michigan James Buchanan
Thumb William Hunter
(1805–1886)
[e][33]
December 15, 1860 December 16, 1860 1 day Rhode Island
23 Thumb Jeremiah S. Black
(1810–1883)
[36]
Democratic December 17, 1860 March 5, 1861[h] 78 days New York
24 Thumb William H. Seward
(1801–1872)
[37]
Republican March 5, 1861 March 4, 1869 7 years, 364 days New York Abraham Lincoln
Andrew Johnson
25 Thumb Elihu B. Washburne
(1816–1887)
[38]
Republican March 5, 1869 March 16, 1869 11 days Illinois Ulysses S. Grant
26 Thumb Hamilton Fish
(1808–1893)
[39]
Republican March 17, 1869 March 12, 1877[h] 7 years, 360 days New York
27 Thumb William M. Evarts
(1818–1901)
[40]
Republican 44–2 March 12, 1877 March 7, 1881[h] 3 years, 360 days New York Rutherford B.
Hayes
28 Thumb James G. Blaine
(1830–1893)
[41]
Republican March 7, 1881 December 19, 1881 287 days Maine James A.
Garfield
Chester A.
Arthur
29 Thumb Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen
(1817–1885)
[42]
Republican December 19, 1881 March 6, 1885[h] 3 years, 77 days New Jersey
30 Thumb Thomas F. Bayard
(1828–1898)
[43]
Democratic March 7, 1885 March 6, 1889[h] 3 years, 364 days Delaware Grover Cleveland
31 Thumb James G. Blaine
(1830–1893)
[41]
Republican March 7, 1889 June 4, 1892 3 years, 89 days Maine Benjamin Harrison
Thumb William F. Wharton
(1847–1919)
[i][44]
Republican June 4, 1892 June 29, 1892 25 days Massachusetts
32 Thumb John W. Foster
(1836–1917)
[45]
Republican June 29, 1892 February 23, 1893 239 days Indiana
Thumb William F. Wharton
(1847–1919)
[i][44]
Republican February 24, 1893 March 6, 1893 10 days Massachusetts
Grover Cleveland
33 Thumb Walter Q. Gresham
(1832–1895)
[46]
Democratic March 7, 1893 May 28, 1895 2 years, 82 days Illinois
Thumb Edwin F. Uhl
(1841–1901)
[i][47]
Democratic May 28, 1895 June 9, 1895 12 days Michigan
34 Thumb Richard Olney
(1835–1917)
[48]
Democratic June 10, 1895 March 5, 1897[h] 1 year, 268 days Massachusetts
35 Thumb John Sherman
(1823–1900)
[49]
Republican March 6, 1897 April 27, 1898 1 year, 52 days Ohio William McKinley
36 Thumb William R. Day
(1849–1923)
[50]
Republican April 28, 1898 September 16, 1898 141 days Ohio
Thumb Alvey A. Adee
(1842–1924)
[j][51]
Independent September 17, 1898 September 29, 1898 12 days New York
37 Thumb John Hay
(1838–1905)
[52]
Republican September 30, 1898 July 1, 1905 6 years, 274 days District of
Columbia
Theodore Roosevelt
Thumb Francis B. Loomis
(1861–1948)
[i][53]
Republican July 1, 1905 July 18, 1905 17 days Ohio
38 Thumb Elihu Root
(1845–1937)
[54]
Republican July 19, 1905 January 27, 1909 3 years, 192 days New York
39 Thumb Robert Bacon
(1860–1919)
[55]
Republican January 27, 1909 March 5, 1909[h] 37 days New York
40 Thumb Philander C. Knox
(1853–1921)
[56]
Republican March 6, 1909 March 5, 1913[h] 3 years, 364 days Pennsylvania William Howard Taft
41 Thumb William
Jennings Bryan

(1860–1925)
[57]
Democratic March 5, 1913 June 9, 1915 2 years, 96 days Nebraska Woodrow Wilson
42 Thumb Robert Lansing
(1864–1928)
[58]
Democratic June 9, 1915 June 24, 1915[k] 4 years, 249 days New York
June 24, 1915 February 13, 1920
Thumb Frank Polk
(1871–1943)
[l][59]
Democratic February 14, 1920 March 14, 1920 29 days New York
43 Thumb Bainbridge Colby
(1869–1950)
[60]
Democratic March 23, 1920 March 4, 1921 346 days New York
44 Thumb Charles Evans
Hughes

(1862–1948)
[61]
Republican March 5, 1921 March 4, 1925 3 years, 364 days New York Warren G.
Harding
Calvin Coolidge
45 Thumb Frank B. Kellogg
(1856–1937)
[62]
Republican March 5, 1925 March 28, 1929 4 years, 23 days Minnesota
Herbert Hoover
46 Thumb Henry L. Stimson
(1867–1950)
[63]
Republican March 28, 1929 March 4, 1933 3 years, 341 days New York
47 Thumb Cordell Hull
(1871–1955)
[64]
Democratic March 4, 1933 November 30, 1944 11 years, 271 days Tennessee Franklin D.
Roosevelt
48 Thumb Edward Stettinius Jr.
(1900–1949)
[65]
Democratic 68–1 December 1, 1944 June 27, 1945 208 days Virginia
Harry S. Truman
Thumb Joseph Grew
(1880–1965)
[l][66]
Independent June 28, 1945 July 3, 1945 5 days New Hampshire
49 Thumb James F. Byrnes
(1882–1972)
[67]
Democratic July 3, 1945 January 21, 1947 1 year, 202 days South Carolina
50 Thumb George C. Marshall
(1880–1959)
[68]
Independent January 21, 1947 January 20, 1949 1 year, 365 days Pennsylvania
51 Thumb Dean Acheson
(1893–1971)
[69]
Democratic 83–6 January 21, 1949 January 20, 1953 3 years, 365 days Maryland
Thumb H. Freeman
Matthews

(1899–1986)
[l][70]
Independent January 20, 1953 January 21, 1953 1 day Maryland Dwight D.
Eisenhower
52 Thumb John Foster Dulles
(1888–1959)
[71]
Republican January 21, 1953 April 22, 1959 6 years, 91 days New York
53 Thumb Christian Herter
(1895–1966)
[72]
Republican 93–0 April 22, 1959 January 20, 1961 1 year, 273 days Massachusetts
Thumb Livingston T.
Merchant

(1903–1976)
[m][73]
Independent January 20, 1961 January 21, 1961 1 day District of
Columbia
John F.
Kennedy
54 Thumb Dean Rusk
(1909–1994)
[74]
Democratic January 21, 1961 January 20, 1969 7 years, 365 days New York
Lyndon B.
Johnson
Thumb Charles E. Bohlen
(1904–1974)
[n][75]
Independent January 20, 1969 January 22, 1969 2 days District of
Columbia
Richard Nixon
55 Thumb William P. Rogers
(1913–2001)
[76]
Republican January 22, 1969 September 3, 1973 4 years, 224 days Maryland
Thumb Kenneth Rush
(1910–1994)
[o][77]
Republican September 3, 1973 September 22, 1973 19 days Florida
56 Thumb Henry Kissinger
(1923–2023)
[78]
Republican 78–7 September 22, 1973 January 20, 1977 3 years, 120 days District of
Columbia
Gerald Ford
Thumb Philip Habib
(1920–1992)
[m][79]
Independent January 20, 1977 January 23, 1977 3 days California Jimmy Carter
57 Thumb Cyrus Vance
(1917–2002)
[80]
Democratic Voice January 23, 1977 April 28, 1980 3 years, 96 days New York
Thumb Warren Christopher
(1925–2011)
[o][81]
Democratic April 28, 1980 May 2, 1980 4 days California
Thumb David D. Newsom
(1918–2008)
[m][82]
Independent May 2, 1980 May 3, 1980 1 day California
Richard N. Cooper
(1934–2020)
[p][83]
Independent May 3, 1980 0 days Connecticut
Thumb David D. Newsom
(1918–2008)
[m][82]
Independent May 3, 1980 May 4, 1980 1 day California
Thumb Warren Christopher
(1925–2011)
[o][81]
Democratic May 4, 1980 May 8, 1980 4 days California
58 Thumb Edmund Muskie
(1914–1996)
[84]
Democratic 94–2 May 8, 1980 January 18, 1981 255 days Maine
Thumb David D. Newsom
(1918–2008)
[m][82]
Independent January 18, 1981 January 22, 1981 4 days California
59 Thumb Alexander Haig
(1924–2010)
[85]
Republican 93–6 January 22, 1981 July 5, 1982 1 year, 164 days Connecticut Ronald Reagan
Thumb Walter J. Stoessel Jr.
(1920–1986)
[o][86]
Independent July 5, 1982 July 16, 1982 11 days California
60 Thumb George Shultz
(1920–2021)
[87]
Republican 97–0 July 16, 1982 January 20, 1989 6 years, 188 days California
Thumb Michael Armacost
(b. 1937)
[m][88]
Independent January 20, 1989 January 25, 1989 5 days Maryland George H. W. Bush
61 Thumb James Baker
(b. 1930)
[89]
Republican 99–0 January 25, 1989 August 23, 1992 3 years, 211 days Texas
62 Thumb Lawrence Eagleburger
(1930–2011)
[90]
Republican August 23, 1992 December 8, 1992[o] 150 days Florida
Recess December 8, 1992 January 20, 1993
Arnold Kanter
(1945–2010)
[q][91]
Independent January 20, 1993 0 days District of
Columbia
Thumb Frank G. Wisner
(b. 1938)
[r][92]
Independent January 20, 1993 0 days District of
Columbia
Bill Clinton
63 Thumb Warren Christopher
(1925–2011)
[81]
Democratic Voice January 20, 1993 January 17, 1997 3 years, 363 days California
64 Thumb Madeleine Albright
(1937–2022)
[93]
Democratic 99–0 January 23, 1997 January 20, 2001 3 years, 363 days District of
Columbia
65 Thumb Colin Powell
(1937–2021)
[94]
Republican Voice January 20, 2001 January 26, 2005 4 years, 6 days Virginia George W. Bush
66 Thumb Condoleezza Rice
(b. 1954)
[95]
Republican 85–13 January 26, 2005 January 20, 2009 3 years, 360 days California
Thumb William J. Burns
(b. 1956)
[m]
Independent January 20, 2009 January 21, 2009 1 day District of
Columbia
Barack Obama
67 Thumb Hillary Clinton
(b. 1947)
[96]
Democratic 94–2 January 21, 2009 February 1, 2013 4 years, 11 days New York
68 Thumb John Kerry
(b. 1943)
[97]
Democratic 94–3 February 1, 2013 January 20, 2017 3 years, 354 days Massachusetts
Thumb Thomas A.
Shannon Jr.

(b. 1958)
[m][98]
Republican January 20, 2017 February 1, 2017 12 days Minnesota Donald Trump
69 Thumb Rex Tillerson
(b. 1952)
[99]
Republican 55–43 February 1, 2017 March 31, 2018 1 year, 58 days Texas
Thumb John J. Sullivan
(b. 1959)
[o]
Republican April 1, 2018 April 26, 2018 25 days Massachusetts
70 Thumb Mike Pompeo
(b. 1963)
[100]
Republican 57–42 April 26, 2018 January 20, 2021 2 years, 269 days Kansas
Thumb Daniel Bennett Smith
(b. 1956)
[s][101]
Independent January 20, 2021 January 26, 2021 6 days Virginia Joe Biden
71 Thumb Antony Blinken
(b. 1962)
[102]
Democratic 78–22 January 26, 2021 Incumbent 3 years, 299 days New York
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List of secretaries of state by time in office

Thumb
11 years, 271 days
Cordell Hull from 1933 to 1944
Thumb
7 years, 364 days
Dean Rusk from 1961 to 1969
Thumb
7 years, 364 days
William H. Seward from 1861 to 1869
Thumb
43 days
Lawrence Eagleburger from 1992 to 1993
Thumb
37 days
Robert Bacon in 1909
Thumb
11 days
Elihu B. Washburne in 1869

This is a list of United States secretaries of state by time in office. This is based on the difference between dates; if counted by number of calendar days all the figures would be one greater. Cordell Hull is the only person to have served as secretary of state for more than eight years. Daniel Webster and James G. Blaine are the only secretaries of state to have ever served non-consecutive terms. Warren Christopher served very briefly as acting secretary of state non-consecutively with his later tenure as full-fledged secretary of state. Elihu B. Washburne served as secretary of state for less than two weeks before becoming ambassador to France.

More information No. in office, Secretary ...
No. in office Secretary Length of service
(days)
Rank
47 Cordell Hull 4289 1
54 Dean Rusk 2921 2
24 William H. Seward 2921
26 Hamilton Fish 2917 4
5 James Madison 2862 5
8 John Quincy Adams 2719 6
37 John Hay 2465 7
13 John Forsyth 2437 8
60 George P. Shultz 2380 9
52 John Foster Dulles 2282 10
7 James Monroe 2011 11
42 Robert Lansing 1695 12
55 William P. Rogers 1685 13
14/19 Daniel Webster 1617 14
3 Timothy Pickering 1614 15
45 Frank B. Kellogg 1484 16
28/31 James G. Blaine 1472 17
67 Hillary Clinton 1472
65 Colin Powell 1467 19
51 Dean Acheson 1460 20
21 William L. Marcy 1460
30 Thomas F. Bayard Sr. 1460
40 Philander C. Knox 1460
44 Charles Evans Hughes 1460
63 Warren Christopher 1458 25
64 Madeleine Albright 1458
17 James Buchanan 1458
9 Henry Clay 1457 28
27 William M. Evarts 1456 29
66 Condoleezza Rice 1455 30
68 John Kerry 1449 31
46 Henry L. Stimson 1437 32
71 Antony Blinken 1394 33
1 Thomas Jefferson 1380 34
22 Lewis Cass 1379 35
61 James Baker 1306 36
38 Elihu Root 1288 37
56 Henry Kissinger 1216 38
57 Cyrus Vance 1191 39
29 Frederick T. Frelinghuysen 1173 40
70 Mike Pompeo 1000 41
41 William Jennings Bryan 826 42
33 Walter Q. Gresham 812 43
10 Martin Van Buren 786 44
6 Robert Smith 756 45
11 Edward Livingston 736 46
50 George C. Marshall 730 47
53 Christian Herter 639 48
34 Richard Olney 634 49
2 Edmund Randolph 595 50
49 James F. Byrnes 567 51
59 Alexander Haig 529 52
18 John M. Clayton 501 53
69 Rex Tillerson 423 54
35 John Sherman 417 55
12 Louis McLane 397 56
43 Bainbridge Colby 346 57
16 John C. Calhoun 343 58
4 John Marshall 264 59
58 Edmund Muskie 257 60
32 John W. Foster 239 61
15 Abel P. Upshur 219 62
48 Edward Stettinius Jr. 208 63
36 William R. Day 141 64
20 Edward Everett 117 65
23 Jeremiah S. Black 78 66
62 Lawrence Eagleburger 43 67
39 Robert Bacon 37 68
25 Elihu B. Washburne 11 69
Close

Notes

  1. Where no vote is listed, confirmation was by voice vote or otherwise unrecorded.[2]
  2. This appears to have been a recess appointment that was never submitted to the Senate.[2]
  3. In addition to the president listed, this secretary of state served for a brief period of time (eight days or less) under that president's successor until a replacement could be named and confirmed.
  4. As Counselor for the Department of State.
  5. As Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
  6. As Director of the Foreign Service Institute.

References

Further reading

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