United States Deputy Secretary of State facts for kids
The Deputy Secretary of State is a very important job in the United States. Think of them as the main helper to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State is like the country's top diplomat, dealing with other countries around the world.
Quick facts for kids United States Deputy Secretary of State |
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![]() Flag of the deputy secretary of state
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![]() Seal of the Department of State
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Department of State | |
Reports to | The U.S. secretary of state |
Seat | Washington, D.C. |
Appointer | The president
with Senate advice and consent
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Term length | No fixed term |
Formation | July 13, 1972 |
First holder | John N. Irwin II |
Salary | Executive Schedule, Level 2 |
If the Secretary of State ever needs to step down or can't do their job, the Deputy Secretary of State steps in. They become the acting Secretary of State until a new one is chosen. This position was created in 1972 to help manage the busy work of the Department of State. Before 1972, a different role, the Under Secretary of State, was the second-in-command.
Two Deputy Secretaries
The Department of State is unique because it has two Deputy Secretaries who are equally important. Besides the main Deputy Secretary of State, there's also a Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. Both of these officials have the power to act on behalf of the Secretary of State when needed.
From Deputy to Secretary
Some people who served as Deputy Secretary of State later became the actual Secretary of State. For example, Lawrence Eagleburger became Secretary in 1992. Warren Christopher became Secretary in 1993, and Antony Blinken took on the role in 2021. This shows how important the Deputy Secretary position is for future leaders.
Who Has Been Deputy Secretary of State?
This table shows the people who have served as Deputy Secretary of State. It includes when they started and ended their term, and which president they worked for.
# | Portrait | Name | Term began | Term ended | President(s) served under |
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1 | ![]() |
John N. Irwin II | July 13, 1972 | February 1, 1973 | Richard Nixon |
2 | ![]() |
Kenneth Rush | February 2, 1973 | May 29, 1974 | |
3 | ![]() |
Robert S. Ingersoll | July 10, 1974 | March 31, 1976 | |
Gerald Ford | |||||
4 | Charles W. Robinson | April 9, 1976 | January 20, 1977 | ||
5 | ![]() |
Warren Christopher | February 26, 1977 | January 16, 1981 | Jimmy Carter |
6 | ![]() |
William P. Clark Jr. | February 25, 1981 | February 9, 1982 | Ronald Reagan |
7 | ![]() |
Walter J. Stoessel Jr. | February 11, 1982 | September 22, 1982 | |
8 | ![]() |
Kenneth W. Dam | September 23, 1982 | June 15, 1985 | |
9 | ![]() |
John C. Whitehead | July 9, 1985 | January 20, 1989 | |
10 | ![]() |
Lawrence Eagleburger | January 20, 1989 | December 8, 1992 | George H. W. Bush |
11 | Clifton R. Wharton Jr. | January 27, 1993 | November 8, 1993 | Bill Clinton | |
12 | ![]() |
Strobe Talbott | February 22, 1994 | January 19, 2001 | |
13 | ![]() |
Richard Armitage | March 26, 2001 | February 22, 2005 | George W. Bush |
14 | ![]() |
Robert Zoellick | February 22, 2005 | July 7, 2006 | |
15 | ![]() |
John Negroponte | February 13, 2007 | January 28, 2009 | |
16 | ![]() |
James Steinberg | January 28, 2009 | July 28, 2011 | Barack Obama |
17 | ![]() |
William J. Burns | July 28, 2011 | November 3, 2014 | |
– | ![]() |
Wendy Sherman Acting |
November 3, 2014 | January 9, 2015 | |
18 | ![]() |
Antony Blinken | January 9, 2015 | January 20, 2017 | |
– | ![]() |
Thomas A. Shannon Jr. Acting |
February 1, 2017 | May 24, 2017 | Donald Trump |
19 | ![]() |
John J. Sullivan | May 24, 2017 | December 20, 2019 | |
20 | ![]() |
Stephen Biegun | December 21, 2019 | January 20, 2021 | |
– | ![]() |
Daniel Bennett Smith Acting |
January 26, 2021 | April 14, 2021 | Joe Biden |
21 | ![]() |
Wendy Sherman | April 14, 2021 | July 28, 2023 | |
– | ![]() |
Victoria Nuland Acting |
July 29, 2023 | February 12, 2024 | |
22 | ![]() |
Kurt M. Campbell | February 12, 2024 | January 20, 2025 | |
23 | ![]() |
Christopher Landau | March 25, 2025 | Incumbent | Donald Trump |