United States Secretary of State

The United States secretary of state (SecState) is the head of the United States Department of State. This department deals with foreign affairs. The secretary is a member of the presidential cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in presidential line of succession and order of precedence. The U.S. Senate must agree with and confirm with the choice for the person to become the secretary of state.

The position of secretary of state was created on April 6, 1789. Thomas Jefferson was the first secretary of state. The secretary is also 4th in the presidential line of succession.

Duties
The first duties of the secretary of state included:
 Publication, distribution, and preservation of the laws of the United States
 Managing the commissions of people the President puts into office.
 Custody of the Great Seal of the United States
 Custody of the records of the former Secretary of the Continental Congress, except for those of the Treasury and War Departments

The following are the responsibilities of the Secretary of State. These were added to the duties over time.
 In control of the United States Department of State and the United States Foreign Service.
 Adviser to the President on matters dealing with other countries. This includes choosing diplomats to other nations and dealing with diplomats from other nations.
 Takes part in high-level negotiations with other countries. The Secretary deals with both single nations and international conferences or organizations. This includes the negotiation of international treaties.
 In control of the direction, coordination, and supervision of activities of the U.S. Government in other countries when more than one government department is involved.
 Support U.S. citizens living or traveling in other countries. This includes information, passports, visas and other services.
 Supervises the United States immigration policy in other countries.
 Communicates problems dealing with the United States foreign policy to Congress and to U.S. citizens.

List of Secretaries of State

SecretaryPartyTerm of officePresident(s)PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm–155x155pxFederalist–New York(1789–1797)1172x172pxDemocratic-Republican–Virginia2120pxFederalist–Virginia3146x146pxFederalist–Pennsylvania(1797–1801)–120pxFederalist–Virginia4120pxFederalist–Virginia–120pxDemocratic-Republican–Massachusetts(1801–1809)5146x146pxDemocratic-Republican–Virginia6120pxDemocratic-Republican–Maryland(1809–1817)7144x144pxDemocratic-Republican30–0Virginia–Democratic-Republican–Kentucky(1817–1825)–120pxFederalist–Pennsylvania8152x152pxDemocratic-Republican29–1Massachusetts–Democratic-Republican–Virginia(1825–1829)9145x145pxDemocratic-Republican27–14KentuckyNationalRepublican–120pxDemocratic–New York(1829–1837)10162x162pxDemocratic25–7New York11120pxDemocratic–Louisiana12120pxDemocraticDelaware13120pxDemocratic–Georgia(1837–1841)–––District ofColumbia(1841)14156x156pxWhig–Massachusetts(1841–1845)–120pxDemocratic–South Carolina–––Pennsylvania15146x146pxWhig–Virginia–120pxWhig–Maryland16148x148pxDemocratic–South Carolina17150x150pxDemocratic–Pennsylvania(1845–1849)18144x144pxWhig–Delaware(1849–1850)(1850–1853)19156x156pxWhig–Massachusetts–120pxWhig–Louisiana20147x147pxWhig–Massachusetts–120px––Rhode Island(1853–1857)21120pxDemocratic–New York22120pxDemocratic–Michigan(1857–1861)–120px––Rhode Island23120pxDemocratic–New York24168x168pxRepublican–New York(1861–1865)(1865–1869)25157x157pxRepublican–Illinois(1869–1877)26120pxRepublican–New York27120pxRepublican44–2New York(1877–1881)28143x143pxRepublican–Maine(1881)(1881–1885)29120pxRepublican–New Jersey30120pxDemocratic–Delaware(1885–1889)31143x143pxRepublican–Maine(1889–1893)–120pxRepublican–Massachusetts32160x160pxRepublican–Indiana–120pxRepublican–Massachusetts(1893–1897)33143x143pxDemocratic–Illinois–120pxDemocratic–Michigan34150x150pxDemocratic–Massachusetts35153x153pxRepublican–Ohio(1897–1901)36145x145pxRepublican–Ohio–120pxIndependent–New York37182x182pxRepublican–District ofColumbia(1901–1909)–120pxRepublican–Ohio38136x136pxRepublican–New York39157x157pxRepublican–New York40181x181pxRepublican–Pennsylvania(1909–1913)41151x151pxDemocratic–Nebraska(1913–1921)42120pxDemocratic–New York–120pxDemocratic–New York43120pxDemocratic–New York44153x153pxRepublican–New York(1921–1923)(1923–1929)45120pxRepublican–Minnesota(1929–1933)46173x173pxRepublican–New York47120pxDemocratic–Tennessee(1933–1945)48147x147pxDemocratic68–1Virginia(1945–1953)–159x159pxIndependent–New Hampshire49120pxDemocratic–South Carolina50153x153pxIndependent–Pennsylvania51160x160pxDemocratic83–6Maryland–161x161pxIndependent–Maryland(1953–1961)52152x152pxRepublican–New York53158x158pxRepublican93–0Massachusetts–120pxIndependent–District ofColumbia(1961–1963)54120pxDemocratic–New York(1963–1969)–120pxIndependent–District ofColumbia(1969–1974)55120pxRepublican–Maryland–120pxRepublican–Florida56120pxRepublican78–7District ofColumbia(1974–1977)–120pxIndependent–California(1977–1981)57173x173pxDemocraticVoiceNew York–120pxDemocratic–California–120pxIndependent–California–Independent–Connecticut–120pxIndependent–California–120pxDemocratic–California58120pxDemocratic94–2Maine–120pxIndependent–California59120pxRepublican93–6Connecticut(1981–1989)–120pxIndependent–California60159x159pxRepublican97–0California–120pxIndependent–Maryland(1989–1993)61120pxRepublican99–0Texas62120pxRepublican–FloridaRecessDecember 8, 1992January 20, 1993–Independent–District ofColumbia–125x125pxIndependent–District ofColumbia(1993–2001)63120pxDemocraticVoiceCalifornia64120pxDemocratic99–0District ofColumbia65120pxRepublicanVoiceVirginia(2001–2009)66120pxRepublican85–13California–120pxIndependent–District ofColumbia(2009–2017)67120pxDemocratic94–2New York68120pxDemocratic94–3Massachusetts–120pxRepublican–Minnesota(2017–2021)69120pxRepublican55–43Texas–150x150pxRepublican–Massachusetts70120pxRepublican57–42Kansas–120pxIndependent–Virginia(2021–2025)71120pxDemocratic78–22New York–120pxIndependent–Vermont(2025–present)72120pxRepublican99–0presentFlorida

Living former secretaries of state
As of September 2025, there are seven living former secretaries of state, the oldest being James Baker (served 1989–1992). The most recent death of a former secretary of state was that of Henry Kissinger (served 1973–1977) on November 29, 2023. The living former secretaries of state, in order of service, are:

Living former secretaries of state

References


Category:1789 establishments in the United States