United States Deputy Secretary of State

The Deputy Secretary of State of the United States is the chief assistant to the Secretary of State. If the Secretary of State resigns or dies, the Deputy Secretary of State becomes Acting Secretary of State until the President nominates and the Senate confirms a replacement. The position was created in 1972.

List of deputy secretaries of state
#PortraitNameTerm beganTerm endedPresident(s) served under175pxJohn N. Irwin IIJuly 13, 1972February 1, 1973Richard Nixon275pxKenneth RushFebruary 2, 1973May 29, 1974375pxRobert S. IngersollJuly 10, 1974March 31, 1976Gerald Ford475pxCharles W. RobinsonApril 9, 1976January 20, 1977575pxWarren ChristopherFebruary 26, 1977January 16, 1981Jimmy Carter675pxWilliam P. Clark Jr.February 25, 1981February 9, 1982Ronald Reagan775pxWalter J. Stoessel Jr.February 11, 1982September 22, 1982875pxKenneth W. DamSeptember 23, 1982June 15, 1985975pxJohn C. WhiteheadJuly 9, 1985January 20, 19891075pxLawrence EagleburgerJanuary 20, 1989December 8, 1992George H. W. Bush1196x96pxClifton R. Wharton Jr.January 27, 1993November 8, 1993Bill Clinton1275pxStrobe TalbottFebruary 22, 1994January 19, 20011375pxRichard ArmitageMarch 26, 2001February 22, 2005George W. Bush1475pxRobert ZoellickFebruary 22, 2005July 7, 20061575pxJohn NegroponteFebruary 13, 2007January 28, 20091675pxJames SteinbergJanuary 28, 2009July 28, 2011Barack Obama1775pxWilliam J. BurnsJuly 28, 2011November 3, 2014–75pxWendy Sherman ActingNovember 3, 2014January 9, 20151875pxAntony BlinkenJanuary 9, 2015January 20, 2017–75pxThomas A. Shannon Jr.ActingFebruary 1, 2017May 24, 2017Donald Trump1975pxJohn J. SullivanMay 24, 2017December 20, 20192075pxStephen BiegunDecember 21, 2019January 20, 20212175pxWendy ShermanApril 14, 2021July 28, 2023Joe Biden–75pxVictoria NulandActingJuly 29, 2023February 12, 20242275pxKurt M. CampbellFebruary 12, 2024January 20, 20252375pxChristopher LandauMarch 25, 2025IncumbentDonald Trump