Not to be confused with Secretary of state (U.S. state government).
United States Secretary of State
Seal of the secretary of state
Flag of the secretary of state
Incumbent Antony Blinken since January 26, 2021
Department of State
Style
Mr. Secretary (informal) The Honorable[1] (formal) His Excellency[2] (diplomatic)
Member of
Cabinet National Security Council
Reports to
President
Seat
Washington, D.C.
Appointer
President with Senate advice and consent
Constituting instrument
22 U.S.C. § 2651
Precursor
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Formation
July 27, 1789; 234 years ago (1789-07-27)
First holder
Thomas Jefferson
Succession
Fourth[3]
Deputy
Deputy Secretary
Salary
Executive Schedule, Level I[4]
The United States secretary of state (SecState[5]) is a member of the executive branch of the federal government and the head of the Department of State. The office holder is the second-highest-ranking member of the president's Cabinet, after the Vice President, and ranks fourth in the presidential line of succession; first amongst cabinet secretaries.
Created in 1789 with Thomas Jefferson as its first office holder, the secretary of state represents the United States to foreign countries, and is therefore considered analogous to a minister of foreign affairs in other countries.[6][7] The secretary of state is nominated by the president of the United States and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is confirmed by the senate. The secretary of state, along with the secretary of the treasury, secretary of defense, and attorney general, are generally regarded as the four most crucial Cabinet members because of the importance of their respective departments.[8]
Secretary of State is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule and thus earns the salary prescribed for that level (US$221,400, as of January 2021).[9][4] The current secretary of state is Antony Blinken, who was confirmed on January 26, 2021, by the Senate by a vote of 78–22.[10]
^"Protocol Reference". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
^"United Nations Heads of State, Protocol and Liaison Service" (PDF). United Nations. January 29, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 14, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
^"3 U.S. Code § 19 – Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act". Cornell Law School. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
^ ab5 U.S.C. § 5312.
^"Abbreviations and Terms" (PDF). 2001-2009.state.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
^"Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs", Protocol and Liaison Service, United Nations. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
^NATO Member Countries Archived October 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, NATO. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
^"Cabinets and Counselors: The President and the Executive Branch" (1997). Congressional Quarterly. p. 87.
^"Salary Table No. 2021-EX Rates of Basic Pay for the Executive Schedule (EX)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
^"U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress – 1st Session". U.S. Senate. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
and 26 Related for: United States Secretary of State information
The UnitedStatessecretaryofstate (SecState) is a member of the executive branch of the federal government and the head of the Department ofState. The...
This is a list ofsecretariesofstateof the UnitedStates. On January 10, 1780, the Congress of the Confederation created the Department of Foreign Affairs...
Under SecretaryofState (U/S) is a title used by senior officials of the UnitedStates Department ofState who rank above the Assistant Secretaries and...
The UnitedStatessecretaryof the treasury is the head of the UnitedStates Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal...
president of the United States, the vice president of the UnitedStates, and the UnitedStatessecretaryofstate on matters of national and international...
The UnitedStatessecretaryof the interior is the head of the UnitedStates Department of the Interior. The secretary and the Department of the Interior...
the Navy, a military department within the UnitedStates Department of Defense. By law, the secretaryof the Navy must be a civilian at least five years...
The UnitedStatessecretaryof defense (SecDef) is the head of the UnitedStates Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces...
The Under Secretary for Political Affairs is currently the fourth-ranking position in the UnitedStates Department ofState, after the secretary, the deputy...
The UnitedStatessecretaryof transportation is the head of the UnitedStates Department of Transportation. The secretary serves as the principal advisor...
the secretaryof war was in the line of succession to the presidency, after the vice president of the UnitedStates, the Speaker of the House of Representatives...
The UnitedStatessecretaryof health and human services is the head of the UnitedStates Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal...
The UnitedStates attorney general (AG) is the head of the UnitedStates Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal...
list of international visits undertaken by the secretariesofstateof the UnitedStates. The list includes both private travel and official state visits...
administrative arms of the president of the UnitedStates. There are currently 15 executive departments. Each department is headed by a secretary whose title...
The UnitedStatessecretaryof veterans affairs is the head of the UnitedStates Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans'...
Global Information
