List of Secretaries of State of the United States - wikipedia List of Secretaries of State of the United States United States Secretary of State Official Seal Incumbent John J. Sullivan Acting since April 1, 2018 United States Department of State Appointer President of United States Inaugural holder John Jay ( acting ) Thomas Jefferson Formation July 27, 1789 Succession Fourth Website www.state.gov This is a list of Secretaries of State of the United States. Contents 1 Secretaries of Foreign Affairs ( 1781 -- 1789 ) 2 List of Secretaries of State 3 List of Secretaries of State by time in office 4 Living former Secretaries of State 5 Notes 6 References Secretaries of Foreign Affairs ( 1781 -- 1789 ) Main article : United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs List of Secretaries of State Parties No party ( 1 ) Federalist ( 6 ) Democratic - Republican ( 6 ) Democratic ( 26 ) Whig ( 5 ) Republican ( 28 ) Status Denotes acting Secretary of State No. Portrait Name State of Residence Took office Left office President ( s ) -- John Jay Acting New York September 26, 1789 March 22, 1790 George Washington Thomas Jefferson Virginia March 22, 1790 December 31, 1793 Edmund J. Randolph Virginia January 2, 1794 August 20, 1795 Timothy Pickering Massachusetts August 20, 1795 December 10, 1795 December 10, 1795 March 4, 1797 March 4, 1797 May 12, 1800 John Adams -- Charles Lee Acting Virginia May 13, 1800 June 5, 1800 John Marshall Virginia June 13, 1800 March 4, 1801 -- Levi Lincoln Sr. Acting Massachusetts March 5, 1801 May 1, 1801 Thomas Jefferson 5 James Madison Virginia May 2, 1801 March 3, 1809 6 Robert Smith Maryland March 6, 1809 April 1, 1811 James Madison 7 James Monroe Virginia April 2, 1811 March 3, 1817 -- John Graham Acting Kentucky March 4, 1817 March 9, 1817 James Monroe -- Richard Rush Acting Pennsylvania March 10, 1817 September 22, 1817 8 John Quincy Adams Massachusetts September 22, 1817 March 3, 1825 -- Daniel Brent Acting Virginia March 4, 1825 March 7, 1825 John Quincy Adams 9 Henry Clay Kentucky March 7, 1825 March 3, 1829 -- James A. Hamilton Acting New York March 4, 1829 March 27, 1829 Andrew Jackson 10 Martin Van Buren New York March 28, 1829 May 23, 1831 11 Edward Livingston Louisiana May 24, 1831 May 29, 1833 12 Louis McLane Delaware May 29, 1833 June 30, 1834 13 John Forsyth Georgia July 1, 1834 March 4, 1837 March 4, 1837 March 3, 1841 Martin Van Buren -- Jacob L. Martin Acting District of Columbia March 4, 1841 March 5, 1841 William Harrison 14 Daniel Webster Massachusetts March 6, 1841 April 4, 1841 April 4, 1841 May 8, 1843 John Tyler -- Hugh S. Legaré Acting South Carolina May 9, 1843 June 20, 1843 -- William S. Derrick Acting Pennsylvania June 21, 1843 June 23, 1843 15 Abel P. Upshur Virginia June 24, 1843 July 23, 1843 July 24, 1843 February 28, 1844 -- John Nelson Acting Maryland February 29, 1844 March 31, 1844 16 John C. Calhoun South Carolina April 1, 1844 March 10, 1845 17 James Buchanan Pennsylvania March 10, 1845 March 7, 1849 James K. Polk 18 John M. Clayton Delaware March 8, 1849 July 9, 1850 Zachary Taylor July 9, 1850 July 22, 1850 Millard Fillmore 19 Daniel Webster Massachusetts July 23, 1850 October 24, 1852 -- Charles M. Conrad Acting Louisiana October 25, 1852 November 5, 1852 20 Edward Everett Massachusetts November 6, 1852 March 3, 1853 -- William Hunter Acting Rhode Island March 4, 1853 March 7, 1853 Franklin Pierce 21 William L. Marcy New York March 7, 1853 March 6, 1857 22 Lewis Cass Michigan March 6, 1857 December 14, 1860 James Buchanan -- William Hunter Acting Rhode Island December 15, 1860 December 16, 1860 23 Jeremiah S. Black Pennsylvania December 17, 1860 March 5, 1861 24 William H. Seward New York March 5, 1861 April 15, 1865 Abraham Lincoln April 15, 1865 March 4, 1869 Andrew Johnson 25 Elihu B. Washburne Illinois March 5, 1869 March 16, 1869 Ulysses S. Grant 26 Hamilton Fish New York March 17, 1869 March 4, 1877 March 4, 1877 March 12, 1877 Rutherford B. Hayes 27 William M. Evarts New York March 12, 1877 March 7, 1881 28 James G. Blaine Maine March 7, 1881 September 19, 1881 James A. Garfield September 19, 1881 December 19, 1881 Chester A. Arthur 29 Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen New Jersey December 19, 1881 March 6, 1885 30 Thomas F. Bayard Delaware March 7, 1885 March 6, 1889 Grover Cleveland 31 James G. Blaine Maine March 7, 1889 June 4, 1892 Benjamin Harrison -- William F. Wharton Acting Massachusetts June 4, 1892 June 29, 1892 32 John W. Foster Indiana June 29, 1892 February 23, 1893 - William F. Wharton Acting Massachusetts February 24, 1893 March 6, 1893 Grover Cleveland 33 Walter Q. Gresham Indiana March 7, 1893 May 28, 1895 -- Edwin F. Uhl Acting Michigan May 28, 1895 June 9, 1895 34 Richard Olney Massachusetts June 10, 1895 March 5, 1897 35 John Sherman Ohio March 6, 1897 April 27, 1898 William McKinley 36 William R. Day Ohio April 28, 1898 September 16, 1898 -- Alvey A. Adee Acting New York September 17, 1898 September 29, 1898 37 John Hay District of Columbia September 30, 1898 September 14, 1901 September 14, 1901 July 1, 1905 Theodore Roosevelt -- Francis B. Loomis Acting Ohio July 1, 1905 July 18, 1905 38 Elihu Root New York July 19, 1905 January 27, 1909 39 Robert Bacon New York January 27, 1909 March 5, 1909 40 Philander C. Knox Pennsylvania March 6, 1909 March 5, 1913 William Howard Taft 41 William Jennings Bryan Nebraska March 5, 1913 June 9, 1915 Woodrow Wilson 42 Robert Lansing New York June 9, 1915 June 23, 1915 June 24, 1915 February 13, 1920 -- Frank Polk Acting New York February 14, 1920 March 12, 1920 43 Bainbridge Colby New York March 23, 1920 March 4, 1921 44 Charles Evans Hughes New York March 5, 1921 August 2, 1923 Warren G. Harding August 2, 1923 March 4, 1925 Calvin Coolidge 45 Frank B. Kellogg Minnesota March 5, 1925 March 4, 1929 March 4, 1929 March 28, 1929 Herbert Hoover 46 Henry L. Stimson New York March 28, 1929 March 4, 1933 47 Cordell Hull Tennessee March 4, 1933 November 30, 1944 Franklin D. Roosevelt 48 Edward Stettinius Jr. Virginia December 1, 1944 April 12, 1945 April 12, 1945 June 27, 1945 Harry S. Truman -- Joseph Grew Acting New Hampshire June 28, 1945 July 3, 1945 49 James F. Byrnes South Carolina July 3, 1945 January 21, 1947 50 George C. Marshall Pennsylvania January 21, 1947 January 20, 1949 51 Dean Acheson Connecticut January 21, 1949 January 20, 1953 -- Harrison F. Matthews Acting Maryland January 20, 1953 January 21, 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower 52 John Foster Dulles New York January 21, 1953 April 22, 1959 53 Christian Herter Massachusetts April 22, 1959 January 20, 1961 -- Livingston T. Merchant Acting District of Columbia January 20, 1961 January 21, 1961 John F. Kennedy 54 Dean Rusk Georgia January 21, 1961 November 22, 1963 November 22, 1963 January 20, 1969 Lyndon B. Johnson -- Charles E. Bohlen Acting District of Columbia January 20, 1969 January 22, 1969 Richard Nixon 55 William P. Rogers Maryland January 22, 1969 September 3, 1973 -- Kenneth Rush Acting Florida September 3, 1973 September 22, 1973 56 Henry Kissinger District of Columbia September 22, 1973 August 9, 1974 August 9, 1974 January 20, 1977 Gerald Ford -- Philip Habib Acting California January 20, 1977 January 23, 1977 Jimmy Carter 57 Cyrus Vance West Virginia January 23, 1977 April 28, 1980 -- Warren Christopher Acting California April 28, 1980 May 2, 1980 -- David D. Newsom Acting May 2, 1980 May 3, 1980 -- Richard N. Cooper Acting May 3, 1980 -- David D. Newsom Acting May 3, 1980 May 4, 1980 -- Warren Christopher Acting California May 4, 1980 May 8, 1980 58 Edmund Muskie Maine May 8, 1980 January 20, 1981 59 Alexander Haig Connecticut January 22, 1981 July 5, 1982 Ronald Reagan -- Walter J. Stoessel Jr. Acting California July 5, 1982 July 16, 1982 60 George P. Shultz California July 16, 1982 January 20, 1989 -- Michael Armacost Acting Maryland January 20, 1989 January 25, 1989 George H.W. Bush 61 James Baker Texas January 25, 1989 August 23, 1992 62 Lawrence Eagleburger Wisconsin August 23, 1992 December 8, 1992 December 8, 1992 January 19, 1993 -- Arnold Kanter Acting Virginia January 20, 1993 Bill Clinton -- Frank G. Wisner Acting District of Columbia January 20, 1993 63 Warren Christopher California January 20, 1993 January 17, 1997 64 Madeleine Albright District of Columbia January 23, 1997 January 20, 2001 65 Colin Powell Virginia January 20, 2001 January 26, 2005 George W. Bush 66 Condoleezza Rice California January 26, 2005 January 20, 2009 -- William Joseph Burns Acting District of Columbia January 20, 2009 January 21, 2009 Barack Obama 67 Hillary Clinton New York January 21, 2009 February 1, 2013 68 John Kerry Massachusetts February 1, 2013 January 20, 2017 -- Tom Shannon Acting Minnesota January 20, 2017 February 1, 2017 Donald Trump 69 Rex Tillerson Texas February 1, 2017 March 31, 2018 -- John J. Sullivan Acting Massachusetts April 1, 2018 Incumbent List of Secretaries of State by time in Office 11 years, 271 days Cordell Hull from 1933 to 1944 7 years, 364 days Dean Rusk from 1961 to 1969 7 years, 364 days William H. Seward from 1861 to 1869 43 days Lawrence Eagleburger from 1992 to 1993 37 days Robert Bacon in 1909 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. Elihu B. Washburne served as Secretary of State for less than two weeks before becoming Ambassador to France. # in office Secretary Length of service ( days ) Rank 47 Hull, Cordell Cordell Hull 4289 54 Rusk, Dean Dean Rusk 2921 24 Seward, William H. William H. Seward 2921 8 Adams, John Quincy John Quincy Adams 2920 26 Fish, Hamilton Hamilton Fish 2917 5 5 Madison, James James Madison 2862 6 37 Hay, John John Hay 2465 7 13 Forsyth, John John Forsyth 2437 8 60 Shultz, George P. George P. Shultz 2380 9 52 Dulles, John Foster John Foster Dulles 2282 10 7 Monroe, James James Monroe 2011 11 42 Lansing, Robert Robert Lansing 1695 12 55 Rogers, William P. William P. Rogers 1685 13 14 / 19 Webster, Daniel Daniel Webster 1617 14 Pickering, Timothy Timothy Pickering 1614 15 45 Kellogg, Frank B. Frank B. Kellogg 1484 16 28 / 31 Blaine, James G. James G. Blaine 1472 17 67 Clinton, Hillary Hillary Clinton 1472 65 Powell, Colin Colin Powell 1467 19 51 Acheson, Dean Dean Acheson 1460 20 21 Marcy, William L. William L. Marcy 1460 30 Bayard Sr., Thomas F. Thomas F. Bayard Sr. 1460 40 Knox, Philander C. Philander C. Knox 1460 44 Hughes, Charles Evans Charles Evans Hughes 1460 63 Christopher, Warren Warren Christopher 1458 25 64 Albright, Madeleine Madeleine Albright 1458 17 Buchanan, James James Buchanan 1458 9 Clay, Henry Henry Clay 1457 28 27 Evarts, William M. William M. Evarts 1456 29 66 Rice, Condoleezza Condoleezza Rice 1455 30 68 Kerry, John John Kerry 1449 31 46 Stimson, Henry L. Henry L. Stimson 1437 32 Jefferson, Thomas Thomas Jefferson 1380 33 22 Cass, Lewis Lewis Cass 1379 34 61 Baker, James James Baker 1306 35 38 Root, Elihu Elihu Root 1288 36 56 Kissinger, Henry Henry Kissinger 1216 37 57 Vance, Cyrus Cyrus Vance 1191 38 29 Frelinghuysen, Frederick T. Frederick T. Frelinghuysen 1173 39 41 Bryan, William Jennings William Jennings Bryan 826 40 33 Gresham, Walter Q. Walter Q. Gresham 812 41 10 Van Buren, Martin Martin Van Buren 786 42 6 Smith, Robert Robert Smith 756 43 11 Livingston, Edward Edward Livingston 736 44 50 Marshall, George George Marshall 730 45 53 Herter, Christian Christian Herter 639 46 34 Olney, Richard Richard Olney 634 47 Randolph, Edmund Edmund Randolph 595 48 49 Byrnes, James F. James F. Byrnes 567 49 59 Haig, Alexander Alexander Haig 529 50 18 Clayton, John M. John M. Clayton 501 51 69 Tillerson, Rex Rex Tillerson 423 52 35 Sherman, John John Sherman 417 53 12 Maclane, Louis Louis McLane 397 54 43 Colby, Bainbridge Bainbridge Colby 346 55 16 Calhoun, John C. John C. Calhoun 343 56 Marshall, John John Marshall 264 57 58 Muskie, Edmund Edmund Muskie 257 58 32 Foster, John W. John W. Foster 239 59 15 Upshur, Abel P. Abel P. Upshur 219 60 48 Stettinius Jr., Edward Edward Stettinius Jr. 208 61 36 Day, William R. William R. Day 141 62 20 Everett, Edward Edward Everett 117 63 23 Black, Jeremiah S. Jeremiah S. Black 78 64 62 Eagleburger, Lawrence Lawrence Eagleburger 43 65 39 Bacon, Robert Robert Bacon 37 66 25 Washburne, Elihu B. Elihu B. Washburne 11 67 Living former Secretaries of State See also : List of living former members of the United States Cabinet As of April 2018, there are nine living former Secretaries of State ( with all Secretaries that have served since 1997 still living ), the oldest being George P. Shultz ( served 1982 -- 1989, born 1920 ). The most recent Secretary of State to die was Lawrence Eagleburger ( served 1992 -- 1993, born 1930 ), on June 4, 2011. The most recently serving Secretary of State to die was Warren Christopher ( served 1993 -- 1997, born 1925 ) on March 18, 2011. Living former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger served 1973 -- 1977, born May 27, 1923 ( age 94 ) George P. Shultz served 1982 -- 1989, born December 13, 1920 ( age 97 ) James Baker served 1989 -- 1992, born April 28, 1930 ( age 87 ) Madeleine Albright served 1997 -- 2001, born May 15, 1937 ( age 80 ) Colin Powell served 2001 -- 2005, born April 5, 1937 ( age 81 ) Condoleezza Rice served 2005 -- 2009, born November 14, 1954 ( age 63 ) Hillary Clinton served 2009 -- 2013, born October 26, 1947 ( age 70 ) John Kerry served 2013 -- 2017, born December 11, 1943 ( age 74 ) Rex Tillerson served 2017 -- 2018, born March 23, 1952 ( age 66 ) Notes As United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs until September 15, 1789 and United States Secretary of State until March 22, 1790, pending the return of Thomas Jefferson from France. As Secretary of War. As Attorney General. As Secretary of the Navy. 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. As Chief Clerk of the State Department. As Assistant Secretary of State. As Second Assistant Secretary of State. As Under Secretary of State. As Deputy Under Secretary of State. As Deputy Secretary of State. As Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. Became President of the United States. As Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. As Under Secretary of State for International Security Affairs. References Wikimedia Commons has media related to Secretaries of State of the United States. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Henry A. ( Heinz Alfred ) Kissinger ( 1923 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Cyrus Roberts Vance ( 1917 -- 2002 ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. ^ Jump up to : Allexperts.com -- Secretary of State Archived 2012 - 09 - 27 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Edmund Sixtus Muskie ( 1914 -- 1996 ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. ( 1924 -- 2010 ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : George Pratt Shultz ( 1920 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : James Addison Baker III ( 1930 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger ( 1930 -- 2011 ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Served as Acting Secretary of State, Aug 23 - Dec 8, 1992. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger ( 1930 -- 2011 ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. ^ Jump up to : and, Thomas L. Friedman. `` Clinton Rounds Out State Dept. Team ''. nytimes.com. Retrieved 14 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Warren Minor Christopher ( 1925 -- 2011 ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Madeleine Korbel Albright ( 1937 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Colin Luther Powell ( 1937 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Condoleezza Rice ( 1954 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Condoleezza Rice ( 1954 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Under Secretary for Political Affairs William J. Burns served as Acting Secretary of State, January 20 - 21, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Biographies of the Secretaries of State : Hillary Rodham Clinton ( 1947 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ `` John Forbes Kerry ( 1943 -- ) ''. U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. Jump up ^ Herman, Steve. `` Career Diplomat Becomes Acting Secretary of State with Trump Inauguration ''. voanews.com. Retrieved 14 March 2018. Jump up ^ News, ABC. `` ABC News ''. ABC News. Retrieved 14 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` Under Secretary of State Shannon meets Tillerson : U.S. official ''. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2018 -- via Reuters. United States Secretaries of State Secretary of Foreign Affairs 1781 -- 89 R. Livingston Jay Secretary of State 1789 -- present Jefferson Randolph Pickering J. Marshall Madison Smith Monroe Adams Clay Van Buren E. Livingston McLane Forsyth Webster Upshur Calhoun Buchanan Clayton Webster Everett Marcy Cass Black Seward Washburne Fish Evarts Blaine Frelinghuysen Bayard Blaine Foster Gresham Olney Sherman Day Hay Root Bacon Knox Bryan Lansing Colby Hughes Kellogg Stimson Hull Stettinius Byrnes G. Marshall Acheson Dulles Herter Rusk Rogers Kissinger Vance Muskie Haig Shultz Baker Eagleburger Christopher Albright Powell Rice ( tenure ) Clinton ( tenure ) Kerry ( tenure ) Tillerson Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Secretaries_of_State_of_the_United_States&oldid=834387373 '' Categories : United States Secretaries of State Lists of members of the Cabinet of the United States Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Pages using div col with deprecated parameters Articles with hCards Talk Contents About Wikipedia Dansk فارسی Français മലയാളം Bahasa Melayu Nederlands Norsk Português Română Русский Српски / srpski Suomi Svenska ไทย 中文 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 5 April 2018, at 13 : 22. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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Question: who is the shortest serving secretary of state
Answer: Elihu B. Washburne